Alka Joshi is the internationally bestselling author of the Jaipur Trilogy: The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur and The Perfumist of Paris. Her debut novel, The Henna Artist, immediately became a New York Times Bestseller, a Reese Witherspoon Bookclub Pick, an LA Times Bestseller, a Toronto Star Bestseller, an Indie Bookstores Bestseller, a Cosmopolitan Best Audiobook, and an Amazon and Goodreads favorite. It was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and has been translated into 29 languages. It’s currently in development at Netflix as an episodic series. Alka’s writing career began at the age of 62. In 2023, Forbes selected Alka as one of 50 Women Over 50 who are shattering age and gender norms across America. Alka was born in India and came to the U.S. with her family at the age of nine. She has a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of Arts. Her fourth novel, Six Days in Bombay, releases on April 15, 2025.

We are excited to have SID perform at Ek Shaam this year! Shiv's Institute of Dance is a Bollywood dance school in Atlanta, GA. They specialize in dance forms such as Bollywood, Hip Hop, Jazz, Latin, Fusion, for children and adults.

We are delighted to feature a Fashion Show at Ek Shaam Raksha Ke Naam by the Fab Store, with creations that bring Raksha’s themes of healing and empowerment to life. This exquisite collection is the vision of Pooja Murthy, the talented founder of The FAB Store, a woman-owned small business based in Atlanta. Specializing in bridal wear, sarees, handcrafted jewelry, and accessories, Pooja’s designs seamlessly blend diverse cultural influences to craft pieces that both inspire and empower.