Board of Aldermen of Frederick, second-largest city of Maryland (USA) founded in 1745 and incorporated in 1817, will open with Hindu prayers on June 19 reportedly for the first time.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed will deliver the invocation from ancient Sanskrit scriptures before the Board of Aldermen. After Sanskrit delivery, he then will read the English translation of the prayer. Sanskrit is considered a sacred language in Hinduism and root language of Indo-European languages.

Zed, who is the President of Universal Society of Hinduism, will recite from Rig-Veda, the oldest scripture of the world still in common use, besides lines from Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord), both ancient Hindu scriptures.

Rajan Zed plans to start and end the prayer with “Om”, the mystical syllable containing the universe, which in Hinduism is used to introduce and conclude religious work. Reciting from Bhagavad-Gita, he proposes to urge aldermen to keep the welfare of others always in mind.

Zed is a global Hindu and interfaith leader, who besides taking up the cause of religion worldwide, has also raised huge voice against the apartheid faced by about 15-million Roma (Gypsies) in Europe. Bestowed with World Interfaith Leader Award; Zed is Senior Fellow and Religious Advisor to Foundation for Religious Diplomacy, Spiritual Advisor to National Association of Interchurch & Interfaith Families, etc.

City of Frederick, whose tagline is "The City of Clustered Spires" and was founded by German settlers, claims to offer “a quality of life that is nothing short of enviable”, and houses National Cancer Institute and is known for its award-winning 40-block historic district. Notable people associated with Fredrick include first President of Congress John Hanson, US Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney, inventor of first electronic digital computer John Vincent Atanasoff, singer Patsy Cline, actor Shawn Hatosy and jazz musician Lester Bowie. Randy McClement is the Mayor.

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA.