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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline JANUARY 15, 2021 | The Indian Eye 24

< dr H r sHaH, senior advisor to chairman and Past President

have been an ardent supporter of FIA of NY-NJ-CT, the umbrella association of over 150 com-
munity organizations, for 35 years. In the beginning, I started supporting FIA India Day parade
I on a voluntary basis by supplying transportation for the celebrities. I started my grand sponsorship
of the FIA parade in 1992, until today and would continue to support it in the future for FIA’s good
cause in the US as well as India. I would like to see the grand India Day parade to be continued on
Madison Ave in New York City because my motherland is India and I love India. My objective and
vision are to support all FIA events, including India Day Parade in NYC.
I was the past millennium president of FIA in 2000. That year was very important. It was the year,
we brought 2 Grand Marshals and 3 Guests of Honor to the parade. It was a hugely successful parade
with historic crowds.
TV Asia, 24/7 channel, has been covering all FIA events in various ways and also broadcasting
India Day Parade LIVE since 1997 all over North America.
My dear friend late Ramesh Patel started Indian association 50 years ago and I was with him from
the beginning. He told me, “Stay with me, we have to work together to promote Indian activities in
this country.” So, I was always with him for India Day parade and other FIA events to help our society
for good causes. Late Ramesh bhai is not here anymore, but his dream is being continued by the new
dynamic team of FIA, including the chairman, president, trustees, past presidents and all supporters.
It is very heartening to see that FIA received the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman. Congrat-
ulations to FIA and thank you all for supporting FIA. My best wishes to FIA.

JagdisH Patel, Past President >

ongratulations to the FIA fraternity on receiving the esteemed ‘PBS award’. I am happy to
hear that the efforts of all the past and present members of the past 50 years are finally be-
Cing recognized back home. From its grassroots origins, founding members like Yash Paul Soi,
Thomas Abraham, Late S.P Singh and many others have played a tremendous role in growing FIA’s
community influence. As a past president from 2003, I am honored to have had a chance to serve the
organization and help promote our rich culture.

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