Page 16 - The Indian EYE 082925

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline AUGUST 29, 2025 | The Indian Eye 16

AIA Float participates at the FIA India

Day Parade at Madison Ave in Manhattan

OUR BUREAU
New York, NY

he Association of Indians in America (AIA)
founded in 1967 had a float in the Federa-
Ttion of Indians Associations (FIA) parade
held on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, New York
on Sunday, 17th of August 2025.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Consul General
of India Binaya Pradhan along with invited Bolly-
wood celebrities Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay
Deverakonda flags off the parade amidst heavily
guarded security prompt and NYPD securing all
marching groups and the rest of the lineup con-
tinues to proceed with high security around them.
“We are very thankful and fortunate to have the
presence of New York Senator John Liu, as well
as the Consul General of India in New York, Hon
Binaya S Pradhan along with the Deputy Consul
General Hon Vishal Harsh and Consul for cultur-
al affairs Tsewang Gyaltson to Grace our Float as
well as be kind enough to encourage AIA members
with beautiful pictures,” said AIA in a statement.
The float was decorated with AIA national ex-
ecutive committee banners mentioning names of
all our chapters in the USA as well as AIA’s resolve
to: “Indian heritage and American commitment”.
The individual names of 17 chapters in United
States of America, namely; New York, New Jersey,
Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Mary-
land, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida,
Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Minnesota,
Texas, California were all lined up by the railing
of the Float so that all standing and watching the
parade, personally or on live worldwide TV, can
see the large presence of our organization in the
entire United States of America.
Enthusiastic patriotic songs were sung and
played on the float for well over two hours which
showcases the passion of AIA towards our mother
country India.
As the parade was moving along Madison
Avenue, the announcements were being made of
AIA‘s New York chapter Deepavali Festival being
organized on October 11, 2025 for the first time at
Overlook Beach in Babylon, Long Island instead
of the South Street Seaport in Manhattan. Flyers
for the same were also distributed to the crowd. popular destination in the summer on Long Island al organization of Asian Indians with chapters
National President Gobind Munjal said that and for the 38th Deepavali festival of AIA will be spread across the United States of America. Al-
this was being done to attract many people from a spectacle not to miss! though AIA organization has been there for many
the tri-state area to see this grand spectacle of The FIA parade has always had many large years and has a lot of achievements to its credit
Deepavali Festival with Spectacular Fireworks as organizations in America showcase their presence besides an established identity for celebrating the
a grand finale. Free food, many booths, cultural best done by taking a Float in the parade, hop- Deepavali Festival at the iconic South Street Sea-
activities, arts and crafts, Naach Inferno, kids and ing that well over 100,000 people that lineup the port year after year continuously for the last 37
adult activities filled with the amazing stage per- two sides of Madison Avenue right from 38th St. years, it was the first time we displayed the AIA
formances and a mega fun filled day. Raffle priz- onwards for the next 12 blocks that the parade strength on Madison Ave, New York City by tak-
es, a Surprise Celebrity presence on the stage and marches ahead and passes the VIP stand with dig- ing a beautifully decorated float with its members
Spectacular Fireworks will be major attractions. nitaries invited for the day. with tricolor sashes and badges waving the tricolor
Overlook Beach in the town of Babylon is a very AIA is the oldest grassroot non-profit nation- Indian flag.

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