To mark India’s 75th Independence Day, the Federation of Indian Associations, a leading Indian diaspora organisation based in New York, will host day-long celebrations on August 15, starting with unfurling the biggest tricolour at Times Square.
Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) had hoisted India’s National flag at Times square on Independence Day last year. It was the first time the Indian tricolour was unfurled at the iconic New York City destination.
Ankur Vaidya, FIA chairman, said that the organisation intends to hoist the tricolour at Times Square every year as the event has its significance. “We want to continue this tradition,” he told news agency PTI. “This year, we are hoisting the biggest tricolour unfurled at Times Square so far.”
With a 25 feet long pole, a 6-feet-by-10-feet tricolour will be hoisted.
The celebrations will start by displaying the first India Day billboard at Times Square for 24 hours, lighting the Empire State Building in the hues of the Indian tricolour. The day will end with top officials, special guests and members of the Indian-American community attending a gala cruise on the Hudson River.
Randhir Jaiswal, Consul General of India, will unfurl the tricolour in the presence of Indian-American sporting icons Abhimanyu Mishra (12), the youngest Grandmaster in chess history and Samir Banerjee (17), winner of the Wimbledon boys’ singles 2021.
Apart from these two young sports figures from New Jersey, artists Jonita Gandhi and Mickey Singh are also expected to be present at the event on Sunday.
With India marking 75 years of independence, the FIA has decided to launch a ‘Unified Diaspora in America’ campaign.
“When India turns 75, we should turn the page on the partisan communities,” FIA chairman was quoted as saying by PTI. “Our goal is unified community” that will be for the betterment of the next generation and generations to come.
“We have to bridge the gap, unify the community,” he added. “We have to be the force in action.”
