New York: The Federation of Indian Associations NY-NJ-CT-NE (FIA) along with the Consulate General of India New York hosted a Curtain Raiser event on July 8, 2024, unveiling the 42nd Annual India Day Parade NYC.
Consul General NY Binaya S Pradhan, FIA President Dr. Avinash Gupta, FIA Chairman Ankur Vaidya, FIA Past President & Board Member Anil Bansal, FIA Senior Advisor Dr. Sudhir Parikh, and CEO SBI NY, Prasanta Tripathi, took the stage to unveil the official poster for this year's parade, setting the tone for the evening.
Dr. Avinash Gupta delivered a heartfelt welcome speech. He highlighted the unique resonance of the parade's theme, "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam," and explained the upcoming India Day Parade format. He appealed to the community to come forward and participate as the ambassador of this event and thanked the media, sponsors, and the executive committee for their support.
The Consul General of India in New York Shri Binaya S Pradhan welcomed all the guests. He said that growing up in India, he knew about the parade and the significance of this event. He assured that the consulate will support this event, as they have for the past 5 years, and they will come together to showcase India's great culture.
Ankur Vaidya, the Chairman of FIA, provided an overview of the organization's history and activities and expressed appreciation for the selfless efforts of the executive teams.
Acclaimed actor Pankaj Tripathi was announced as the Guest of Honor for the parade. (Photo provided by FIA)
The highlight of the evening was the announcement of acclaimed actor Pankaj Tripathi as the Guest of Honor, accompanied by an exclusive video of his involvement in the parade.
Jai Bansal began his address with "Namaste, Jai Hind, and Jai Shree Ram" and then introduced VHPA. He presented a mesmerizing overview of the Ram Mandir Float.
Padmashree Dr. Sudhir Parikh expressed his gratitude towards FIA for being a part of the parade since its inception. FIA Past President and Board member Anil Bansal offered his support and praised the entire community for their hard work.
Prasanta Tripathi, CEO SBI NY has pledged full support for the upcoming parade and confirmed that the entire SBI team will participate. Tripathi expressed pride in witnessing the well-organized event for the past three years and assured that the entire SBI staff will be there to support the parade.
The evening concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by FIA Executive Vice President Saurin Parikh.
