A historic spiritual event occurred in Brazil with the Pran Patishtha of the first Lord Ganesha idol in Latin America. The ceremony, attended by devotees and community members, marked a significant milestone for the growing Hindu community. Indian ambassador Dinesh Bhatia and Brazilian teacher Jonas Masetti were present at the event held at Centro Cultural Vishva Vidya in Petropolis. The idol was placed at Instituto Vishva Vidya, founded by Jonas Masetti. He is a Brazilian teacher of Advaita Vedanta, Sanskrit and yoga and is a direct disciple of Swami Dayananda Saraswati. In May 2025, he was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian honour in India, for his exceptional contributions to spreading Vedic culture, Vedanta, and Sanskrit globally. While some welcomed the event, others criticized the placement of a Hindu and Indian god in America.