Press Releases
Volunteering for Seniors Celebrates Culture, Community and Connection Through Neelkanth: The Rise of Shiva
Andover, MA | October 3, 2026
Volunteering For Seniors Inc was proud to serve as the Grand Sponsor of Neelkanth: The Rise of Shiva, an ambitious cultural production presented by Dancilla YogaFusion under the vision and direction of Sonal and her dedicated team.
Inspired by Amish Tripathi’s Shiva Trilogy, the 90-minute production explored themes of courage, compassion, fairness, responsibility and leadership. Through powerful performances, dialogue, music, screen visuals and lighting, the production kept the audience deeply engaged throughout the evening.
At the heart of the production was Sonal Mazumder's vision and leadership. Bringing a production of this scale to the stage required creativity, determination, patience and tremendous coordination. From shaping the story and organizing rehearsals to gathering background tracks, developing the screen visuals and guiding the overall presentation, her attention to detail was evident throughout the evening.
Equally important was the commitment of the entire Dancilla YogaFusion and Neelkanth team. Performers, technicians (including technicians from J Everett Collins Center for the Performing Arts - Scott, Jake and Ben), crew members and volunteers contributed countless hours of preparation, rehearsals and behind-the-scenes work. Every contribution, whether visible on stage or taking place quietly in the background, played an important role in bringing the production to life.
For Volunteering For Seniors Inc (VFS), this collaboration was especially meaningful because it closely reflected the organization’s mission.
VFS believes that supporting seniors goes beyond health and practical assistance. Aging well also means having opportunities for social connection, cultural engagement, belonging, joy and meaningful shared experiences.
Seeing seniors and special guests who joined through VFS become immersed in the production alongside families and younger generations was a beautiful reflection of that mission.
VFS’s involvement also extended beyond sponsorship. Ramakrishna Penumarthy, Co-Founder of VFS, was involved with the production from its early stages, working closely with Sonal on recording and curating dialogues, refining sound clarity, sequencing music and dialogue with the progression of the story, balancing the audio, and coordinating with the venue’s lighting technician to help bring Sonal’s vision to life.
The collaboration between Sonal, Ramakrishna and the wider production team helped ensure that the dialogue, music, screen visuals, performance and lighting came together cohesively to support the emotional journey of the story.
The evening was further honored by the presence of Massachusetts State Auditor Diana DiZoglio as Chief Guest and Meena Bharath as Guest of Honor. Their presence and reflections added special meaning to the occasion.
VFS extends heartfelt congratulations to Sonal and the entire Neelkanth team for creating an evening that brought together art, devotion, teamwork and community.
“Our mission is rooted in human connection. Sometimes that connection happens through wellness programs or caregiver support, and sometimes it happens through music, dance, storytelling and shared cultural experiences. Neelkanth brought all of those elements together, which is why this collaboration felt so meaningful to VFS.”
— Pratima Penumarthy, CEO & Co-Founder, Volunteering for Seniors Inc.
For VFS, Neelkanth: The Rise of Shiva was a reminder that cultural experiences can do more than entertain. They can create belonging, strengthen relationships across generations and bring communities together around shared values.
Volunteering for Seniors looks forward to continuing partnerships that bring together service, wellness, culture and community, while creating meaningful opportunities for seniors and caregivers to remain engaged, valued and connected.
About Volunteering for Seniors Inc.
Volunteering for Seniors Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing social isolation and strengthening the well-being of seniors and caregivers through wellness education, caregiver support, cultural and arts programming, social engagement and intergenerational initiatives.
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