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Colorful display of Indian culture at FIA India day parade
It’s one of the most iconic annual events FIA has celebrated since its inception in 1970.
Grand Marshall Sri Sri Ravishankar speaking at the event / YouTube-SuperFriendsNYC
The 41st India Day Parade organized by the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), saw a massive turnout in Manhattan. The procession of floats along Madison Avenue was a colorful celebration of Indian heritage and culture.
The parade that started around noon was led by Sri Sri Ravishankar, who served as the grand Marshall. Slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ echoed through the city of New York on a quiet Sunday afternoon as the colorful celebration of India’s culture came to life.
Speaking to New India Abroad Kenny Desai, president of FIA said that with an estimated participation of over 200,000 people, this year’s parade is the largest one to date. Commenting on the theme of the parade, Mission LiFE, which is a movement started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India, he said that the parade gives a message to move towards a green ecosystem.
FIA executive vice president, Dr. Avinash Gupta told New India Abroad that this year's parade was special as it had more diverse participation than usual. For the first time, we were able to showcase Kashmiri culture with a dedicated Jammu and Kashmir float. The Siddhivinayak Temple of the United States of America and the Indian American Muslim Council both had floats. There was also a float representing Manipur. According to Dr. Gupta, this multiethnic turnout demonstrated the unity of India’s enormous cultural mosaic.
New York Mayor Eric Adams also participated in the parade and spoke highly of the contributions Indian Americans have made to the United States. He especially commended the role of Indian Americans in nation-building.
In the evening, FIA hosted a ‘Gala on the Hudson’ where hundreds of people waited in line to board the cruise ship and meet Indian film stars Jacqueline Fernandez (the event’s guest of honor) and Samantha Ruth Prabhu (the event’s main guest).
During his speech at the Gala, New Jersey assemblyman Raj Mukherji called on Indian parents to encourage their children to become involved in politics. He noted that Indian Americans run many of the companies whose products people use every day (including Google, Adobe, Microsoft, and Mastercard), but that this is not the case in politics. He urged the parents to change the scenario by saying, “We ask all of you to encourage your kids to become doctors, lawyers, and engineers and earn Phds and also ask them also to participate in the political process.”
NY Assemblywoman, Jenifer Rajkumar in her address inspired the audience by sharing her journey and commended the work of FIA for over half a decade. She lauded She lauded FIA for being a constant source of inspiration and support for the Indian community. She praised the India Day procession as the world’s biggest and one of the most beloved celebrations.
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