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    NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                                   JULY 24, 2026    |  The Indian Eye 20

              BAPS Celebrates America 250 Through

                            Unity, Service, and Community

            OUR BUREAU
            New York, NY
                  s the United States commem-
                  orated  the  250th  anniversary
            Aof the signing of the Declara-
            tion of Independence, BAPS Swami-
            narayan Sanstha joined in the Amer-
            ica250  celebration  through  events
            centered on faith, service, gratitude,
            civic pride, and unity across the nation.
                BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha
            was proud to partner with Ameri-
            ca250.org,  the  national,  nonpartisan
            initiative  leading  the  commemora-
            tion of America’s Semiquincentenni-
            al. Through this partnership, BAPS
            joined a nationwide effort to engage
            Americans in one of the most inclu-
            sive anniversary celebrations in the
            nation’s history.
                For South Asian Americans,
            America250  offered  a  meaningful
            opportunity to honor the freedoms,
            opportunities, and shared values that
            have enabled generations of families
            to preserve their heritage while sup-
            porting the American story. From
            early immigrants seeking new begin-
            nings to the millions of South Asian
            Americans who today serve in med-
            icine, education, business, public ser-
            vice, technology, the arts, and civic   unite Americans across backgrounds
            life, their journey expresses a broad-  and beliefs.
            er American experience shaped via     In Robbinsville, New Jersey,
            resilience, service, opportunity, and   BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham
            belonging.                        hosted a flag-hoisting ceremony with
                BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, a
            Hindu organization that has served   veterans and community members,
                                              where devotees and families waved
            communities in the United States   American flags in a demonstration of
            for more than 50 years, marked this   gratitude and unity. In Los Angeles,
            national milestone through mandir-  the BAPS mandir held a flag-raising
            based celebrations, open  houses,   ceremony  with  local  veterans  and
            interfaith gatherings, service initia-  opened its doors to the larger com-
            tives, and community events. Since   munity to share culture, values, and
            beginning its activities in the United   service. In Houston, four local may-
            States in the early 1970s, BAPS has   ors from Sugar Land, Missouri City,
            expanded alongside the nation, es-  Pearland, and Stafford joined the
            tablishing mandirs, promoting civic   celebration as the mandir was illumi-
            engagement,  and  welcoming  people   nated in red, white, and blue, and the
            of all backgrounds.               National Anthem was played.
                Across the country, BAPS Swa-
                                                  Many celebrations highlighted  tice their faith, raise families, serve  us that the freedoms and opportuni-
            minarayan  Mandirs  commemorated   religious freedom, pluralism, and  neighbors,  and  contribute  substan-  ties of this nation have allowed our
            America250 with civic gratitude and   service.  Through interfaith discus-  tially to society.        community to become part of the
            community enthusiasm. Mandirs     sions, community open houses, vol-    One of its most treasured arti-  American story—and that with those
            were illuminated in red, white, and   unteer efforts, and family-centered  facts is a special letter from His Ho-  blessings comes a shared responsibil-
            blue, families participated in patriot-  activities,  participants  reflected  on  liness Mahant Swami Maharaj, offer-  ity to serve, strengthen, and uplift our
            ic activities, and community members   how America’s founding ideals have  ing prayers for America on its 250th  country.
            gathered to reflect on the values that
                                              allowed diverse communities to prac-  anniversary. In the letter, he reminds   Continued on next page... >>

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