Note from the President's Desk
Dear ICON Family and Friends, Hope you are enjoying the onset of spring weather. We recently hosted our second Spring Social in March, and it was a fantastic event filled with music and connection. It is always wonderful to see the community stepping out and coming together. A huge thank you to all the performers in the ICONix Band. They delivered an incredible performance, made even more special by the participation of two young talented singers. The music, vocals, and selection of songs were thoroughly enjoyable. Please enjoy this edition’s first Guests’ Corner penned by Rajesh to know about all the behind-the-scenes efforts by our great ICONix Band! Thank you to everyone who contributed and made the event so memorable! The second Guests’ Corner article by Shruti and Nikhil is a great read about the amazing yoga and meditation work they are doing for our community. As we look ahead, we are gearing up to celebrate Holi with you all on May 16th. Please secure your tickets, if you haven’t already! Warm regards, Sujata Sarda President sujata.sarda@iconeedham.org
Events in Early 2026
Strides for Smiles 5K (8-10am Sunday, May 10th: Mother’s Day) - 5K Needham Walkathon; Start point @Memorial Park (an ICON led Fundraiser for Boston Children’s Hospital) Needham Holi (2-5 pm Saturday, May 16th) - @Hillside Elementary School Playgrounds Holi Workshop for Kids (date TBD) International Yoga Day (8-10am Sunday, June 21st) - Session led by Shruti and Nikhil; @Greene Fields (Venue to be confirmed)
Join us for the Needham Holi onMay 16
Please join the Indian Community of Needham (ICON) in celebrating Needham Holi, the festival of colors, universal brotherhood and friendship—all Needham residents and their friends are most welcome. We will play a few traditional Indian games in the beginning, followed by playing Holi with dry colors, and dancing to the hit tunes and traditional DHOL! Enjoy the Indian snacks and tea etc. while you meet and greet friends, making a memorable afternoon! Ticket prices include colors, tea and snacks!
Guests' Corner by Rajesh Thomas
Behind the curtains at ICONix! In mid-January each year the ICONix band gets activated from winter slumber to prep for ICON’s Spring Social at the end of March. This year was no different. Typically, the process starts with Karthik pulling a small group together to identify the critical mass to move the band forward. Over the next 12 weeks, the group works out musician availability, a song list, singers for each song, orchestration of each song, song parts, key and a myriad other details to pull together the program agenda taking into account the audience and other considerations. This year when Karthik and I met to discuss the program we faced a challenge, we did not have a bass guitarist or a rhythm guitarist, two critical foundations of any band. We had hit a stumbling block that could jeopardize the event! We decided to leverage our music network…and luckily for us within a week we were able get onboard two fantastic Needham guys – Chris Martin, bass player extraordinaire and Nick Bulter – rhythm guitar player and singer. We were also fortunate to get the talents of Swastik and Srimoyee from neighboring towns and our local vocal talent husband/wife duo of Anand and Anjali. Having built the core group, we had 10 weeks to fine tune our song list and make the selected song repertoire the ICONix way! The group worked hard to navigate multiple snowstorms, work travel and family duties to pull off another classic ICONix event at the Spring Social. The musical talents, coordination and perseverance were fantastic. I have to give a special shout out to Chris Martin who pulled out all stops to provide us with the sound systems and support for the show and to Karthik Krishan who continues to excel as the prime mover behind each ICONix gig and for opening his home for the weekly practice sessions!
About the Author
Rajesh has been a resident of Needham for the past 12 years, where he lives with his wife, Preethy. They are proud parents of their two children who graduated from Needham High School and are now pursuing their college education. Professionally, Rajesh works in the field of medical technology, specializing in product management and strategic development. He also serves the community as a board member of the Needham Community Council. Outside of his professional and civic commitments, Rajesh is passionate about music and tennis, and is one of the founding members of the ICONix Band.
Guests' Corner by Shruti and Nikhil
How We Breathe Is How We Live In our fast-paced lives, we often try to manage everything around us—people, situations, outcomes. Yet, if we pause and reflect, we realize that much of the outside world is beyond our control. What we can influence, however, is our inner world—and one of the most powerful tools we have for that is our breath. You may have noticed how closely your breath mirrors your emotions. When we are angry, our breath becomes fast and heated. When we are anxious, it turns shallow and uneven. When we are sad, it feels heavy, almost like a sigh with every exhale. When we are at ease, the breath becomes quiet and almost unnoticed. By gently guiding the breath back to that same softness, we can guide the mind back to ease. Our breath is not just a passive response—it is an active bridge between the body and the mind. The quality of our life is ultimately defined by the state of our mind. While the mind can feel difficult to control directly, the breath offers a simple and accessible doorway. By consciously working with breath, we can shift how we feel, how we respond, and how we experience life. This understanding lies at the heart of the work we share through yoga and meditation. At NeeYAM— Needham Yoga and Meditation—we have had the privilege of guiding sessions alongside a growing community, thanks to the vision and efforts of Ajay and Renu. These gatherings have become a space where individuals come together to pause, breathe, and reconnect with themselves. We are Shruti and Nikhil, yoga and meditation instructors who have been part of the Needham community for many years. We found a shared calling in wellness through our volunteer work with the Art of Living Foundation. Through this journey, we have not only deepened our own practice but also had the opportunity to serve—bringing breathwork and meditation to local communities, Massachusetts prisons, and traveling monthly to Rhode Island to teach prison programs. These experiences continually reaffirm a simple truth: when individuals find peace within, it naturally extends outward into families, communities, and society. The vision of a stress-free, violence-free society begins at the individual level. It starts with taking responsibility for our own well-being—cultivating calm, clarity, and resilience in our daily lives. This is also the guiding vision of the Art of Living Foundation: to foster a global community committed to positive change and holistic well-being for all. If this resonates with you, we warmly invite you to experience it firsthand. Join us at (free) NeeYAM sessions by reaching out to Ajay (617-901-6577) or Renu Yadav (617-272-0668), and become part of this growing local community dedicated to well-being. For those who would like to go deeper, we especially encourage you to attend the Art of Living Part 1 Course, where you will learn powerful breathing techniques, including Sudarshan Kriya, , y p g q , g y , over an immersive 3-day workshop. Next workshop: April 24–26 Details & registration: https://tiny.cc/aol_part1 Take a step inward. Your breath may just be the key to how you live!
About the Authors
Nikhil Sole has been a resident of Needham for over 20 years. He works as a Principal Software Engineer at RSA Security and is a proud father of two boys—one currently at Needham High School and the other a recent graduate, now attending WPI. Shruti Sole has over 20 years of experience in the software industry, having worked at Microsoft, Amazon, and Smartsheet. She moved from Seattle to Boston area about seven years ago, and her journey brought her to Needham when she and Nikhil remarried three years ago. She has since transitioned out of the tech industry to dedicate more time to offering yoga, meditation, and wellness programs within the community. Together, they are certified 500-hour E-RYT yoga teachers, and breathwork and meditation instructors & volunteer with the Art of Living, lead community workshops, prison programs, and yoga classes. This work is their favorite way to connect—building both, self-care and community care!
ICON TownSquare!
Dear All (Active and Prospective) ICONians! The need for more efficient and direct communication among members and the board channel was felt for some time, for important ICON announcements, ticket sales, and to make it a 2-way street. Towards that end, we started a WhatsApp Group called “ICON-TownSquare” last November. Here is its overall framework. Main Objectives To provide an efficient 2-way communication among ICON members, prospects, and board members To enhance ideation, inclusivity, diversity, feedback, and participation Guiding Principle Helping ICON achieve its below-core mission is the overarching principle: ICON is a secular, non-profit organization aimed at celebrating and preserving the culture and heritage of India and surrounding South Asian countries; fostering friendships and unity among community members; advancing the educational, cultural, and charitable interests of the community; and representing the community to the people of Needham, MA, USA, and beyond. Working Framework Mostly used for ICON announcements, event ideation and planning No forwards of any kind at all, and no good mornings, good nights! Highest respect for each other is utmost expected Moderated by a few ICON Board Members, with windows for 2-way communication at times ICON Board reserves the right to tweak this working framework as needed Everyone is cordially invited to please join using the link or the QR code below.
Join ICON TownSquare here
