Page 16 - TIE 082021

North The Indian Eye

AmERIcANnewsline

16 AUGUST 20, 2021

75th Independence day

fia unfurls biggest tricolor at times square

Hundreds gather for the event at the iconic destination in New York on Sunday to participate in the
celebration; later the Empire State Building was lit up in the colors of the Indian flag

Our Bureau

New York
he Federation of Indian
Associations of the tri-state
Tareas of New York, New
Jersey and Connecticut (FIA
NY-NJ-CT) kick-started the cel-
ebrations of the 75th Indepen-
dence Day of India on Sunday
with the hoisting of the Tricolor
at Times Square. This year’s Tri-
color was the biggest one ever to
be unfurled at the iconic destina-
tion.
The flag measured 6 ft x 10
ft and was hoisted on a 25-feet
pole.
Hundreds of Indian-Amer-
icans as well as friends and
well-wishers of the community
had gathered at the venue to
participate in the flag-hoisting.
The day’s ceremony began
with the playing of the American dence Day. trict leader from Queens-New Sunday.
national anthem. Consul Gener- FIA president Anil Bansal York Neeta Jain. The celebration continued
al of India Randhir Jaiswal then called it a privilege to be living in On the occasion, Jaiswal also into the evening with FIA’s an-
hoisted the Tricolor as the Indi- the US where they have the free- unveiled the ‘India at 75 Cricket nual gala on board a yacht on
an national anthem played along. dom that they “as Americans Cup’ by the ’22 yards court’, a the Hudson, which was attended
On the occasion, he conveyed can celebrate our history, culture non-profit that promotes cricket by dignitaries, special guests and
his wishes to the Indian com- and love for our motherland.” in North America. FIA members.
munity, friends of India and all He thanked The New York City A special performance was It was a proud moment for
“those who are deeply connected” and its police for allowing them given by the band Dhol Tasha Ahmedabad, a city in the state
to the country. He thanked the to enjoy the day safely. Pathak of Maharashtra Mandal of Gujarat in India, when the
Indian-American community Besides Jaiswal, those who who had come all the way from biggest Tricolor in the history of
and FIA in particular for leading addressed the gathering includ- Michigan to participate in the Times Square was unfurled. The
these celebrations. ed Deputy CGI-New York Sha- celebration. flag, and all other parapherna-
Jaiswal felicitated New Jer- trughna Sinha, Captain Aman- In another first, FIA reserved lia used during the celebration,
sey boy Abhimanyu Mishra deep Singh Sandhu who is the the biggest jumbotron at the had been sent to New York from
who is now the youngest Grand- only Indian American in the Times Square for display of In- Ahmedabad. The entire con-
master in the history of chess. whole of the New York police dependence Day messages and signment had been put together
Abhimanyu also received the department and first Sikh cap- other images related to India. and shipped for FIA by Gracia
proclamation from the office tain in the country, FIA board The jumbotron was reserved for Marcom, an advertising agency
of Brooklyn Borough president member Anand Patel who was a full 24 hours. in the city. According to Gra-
Eric Adams. representing Dunkin, one of the As part of yet another cele- cia Marcom managing partner
FIA Chairman Ankur event sponsors, Jackson Heights bration, the Empire State Build- Rohit Korat, they supplied flags
Vaidya wished everyone a happy, representative in New York City ing was lit up in the colors of the and other items for FIA New
healthy and safe 75th Indepen- Council Daniel Dromm, and dis- Indian National Flag later on England as well.

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