Presented with The Culture Tree, the special Diwali-season gathering featured New York City Council Member Shekar Krishnan, an intimate conversation with Anu Sehgal, and a celebration of music, purpose and community.
Our Bureau
New York, NY
On October 7, Asia Society welcomed Grammy Award-winning musician, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Chandrika Tandon for Love, Light, Laughter: An Evening with Chandrika Tandon, an uplifting gathering that brought together music, personal reflection, spirituality, and meaningful conversation ahead of Diwali.
The evening, presented in collaboration with The Culture Tree, invited guests to reflect on the power of music, the importance of finding purpose, and the connections that bring people together across cultures and generations.
The program began with an introduction by Farwa Ahmad, setting the stage for an evening centered on cultural celebration, community, and the transformative power of the arts.
New York City Council Member Shekar Krishnan delivered the opening keynote, helping set the intention for the upcoming Diwali season. His address emphasized the importance of community, cultural identity, and celebrating the traditions that enrich New York City’s diverse communities.
His recognition of The Culture Tree and its tenth anniversary made the occasion particularly meaningful, acknowledging the organization’s decade-long commitment to creating inclusive spaces for South Asian culture, storytelling, and community engagement.
The centerpiece of the evening was an intimate conversation between Tandon and Anu Sehgal, Founder and CEO of The Culture Tree, exploring the intersection of music, identity, purpose, and personal transformation.
Sehgal began by examining Tandon’s remarkable relationship with music, drawing on the artist’s belief that music is not simply something she does, but an essential part of who she is. Their conversation explored how music can shape identity, transcend language, and create connections among people from different backgrounds.
The discussion also touched on Tandon’s Grammy Award-winning album Triveni, which won Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album at the 2025 Grammy Awards. Sehgal explored how an artist approaches the next stage of a creative journey after such a significant milestone, and what new possibilities continue to inspire Tandon.
One of the evening’s central themes was the search for purpose and the importance of living beyond oneself.
Sehgal brought a deeply personal perspective to the conversation, reflecting on how a major health crisis several years earlier prompted her to act on a sense of purpose she had long recognized.
The discussion invited the audience to consider a universal question: How do we discover our purpose, and, more importantly, how do we put it into practice?
This theme resonated throughout the program, connecting Tandon’s journey from the corporate world to music and philanthropy with Sehgal’s own transition from a corporate career to founding The Culture Tree.
Music was woven throughout the evening, with Sanskrit chanting and moments of shared reflection creating an atmosphere of connection and calm. The communal chanting offered a particularly memorable experience, bringing the audience together through the universal language of music.
As Diwali approached, the evening offered a timely reminder that the festival’s celebration of light extends beyond lamps and festivities. It is also an opportunity to cultivate inner light, gratitude, compassion, and connection.
The program concluded with a meet-and-greet, allowing guests to connect with Tandon and continue the conversations inspired by the evening.
The event also held special significance for The Culture Tree as the organization celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2026. Founded by Anu Sehgal, The Culture Tree has spent the past decade building platforms that celebrate South Asian heritage through education, storytelling, performing arts, literature, and community programming.
Love, Light, Laughter reflected that mission by bringing together cultural expression, personal storytelling, and meaningful dialogue in a shared community experience.
About The Culture Tree
Founded by Anu Sehgal, The Culture Tree is a New York-based cultural organization dedicated to promoting South Asian heritage through educational programs, cultural celebrations, performing arts, literature, and community experiences. Celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2026, the organization works to create inclusive spaces where South Asian stories and traditions can be shared, understood, and celebrated across generations.