NEW YORK: Nevada-based Hindu priest Rajan Zed, who delivered the historic opening prayer in Washington State Senate, presented a copy of Bhagavad-Gita to Senator Rosa Franklin, President Pro Tem, who was presiding over the Senate.

Brad Hendrickson, Deputy Secretary of the Senate; and Senator Edward B. Murray; personally thanked Zed for the historic prayer.Zed later met Brad Owen, Lieutenant Governor, in his office in the Capitol, and Most Reverend Alexander Joseph Brunett, Archbishop of Seattle, in his downtown Seattle office, and presented both of them a copy each of Bhagavad-Gita. Senate pages Curren Mehta, Anisha Kalidini and Jyoti Cossette, who met Zed on the occasion, told him that they were honored with this historic prayer. Earlier, on Jan 28, the New Mexico Senate formally thanked Zed for reading the first Hindu prayer in the New Mexico State Senate in Santa Fe.

The Senate asked him to "keep the members of the Legislature in your daily prayers".In a letter received last week, Lenore Naranjo, Senate Chief Clerk, said, "We look forward to your return in future sessions…The Senate appreciates the prayers you delivered and thank you for your patience as our sessions rarely started on time."

The New Mexico State Senate also sent him a certificate of "official expression of its appreciation and pride…on behalf of the people of the State of New Mexico," signed by Senator Timothy Z. Jennings and attested by Naranjo.