India Day Parade preparations in high gear: FIA President Dr. Avinash Gupta

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The highly anticipated India Day Parade, one of the signature events organized by the Federation of Indian Associations-NYNJCT and New England, falls on August 18 this year, and preparations for it began the day after it was held in 2023.

President of FIA Dr. Avinash Gupta, spoke to ITV Gold June 24, 2024, to discuss what goes into the preparations as barely two months are left for the massive event that attracts thousands not only to watch but to participate in the Parade in the heart of Manhattan, to celebrate India’s Independence Day.

Dr. Gupta, a cardiologist, who has led several organizations in the past including Bihar Jharkhand Association of North America, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, Siddhi Vinayak Temple, said noted that the FIA, “the largest grassroots umbrella organization of all nonprofit organizations in the Northeast,” works “very closely with the Indian Consulate.”

FIA not only conducts programs like Dance Pe Chance, Republic Day, and International Women’s Day, Diwali Stamp, apart from India Day Parade, but it works behind the scenes to bring a resolution to issues facing people on consular matters, participate in development programs and projects in India, and other major initiatives, such as the Covid pandemic.

“This year (India Day Parade) is on August 18, and you’ll be surprised to know that the preparation for this parade starts the day after the (last) parade,” he told ITV Gold.

The FIA promotes events that strengthen US-India exchanges and cultural and social connections among second generation children and youth. “My goal is to make our motherland shine and our FIA shine and keep doing better and better every year,” Dr. Gupta said.

For the India Day Parade, the Flagship event, “not only will we have floats, but then we have booths and I would invite all vendors business people to sign up for the booths. All the forms are on our website which is FIANYNJCT.org and you can fill out the form for the float, you can fill out form for the booth,” he said, adding that marching booths participate free.

The Parade starts at 12:30 and goes on till 2:30, and cultural programs and other activities are part of it.

“We want people to come in a traditional Indian attire. I mean no T-shirt or shorts because we are showcasing our motherland, and we want to be respectful,” Dr. Gupta clarified.

This year the Parade will include a Ram Mandir Float “and there is talk of 500 Ram Bhakta marching with the Ram Mandir float,” he said. The participants would be from tri-state temples. But, he said, this was not a religious event.

“Actually, we are not doing it, because FIA is non-political and non-religious, but we welcome all religions and all ethnic groups to participate,” he clarified.

The Parade ends in Battery Park, One Bowling Green is the address there will be a Gala at the Smithsonian National Museum of American Indians.

“At the Gala, the celebrities will be there. It will be a good opportunity for all to come and meet with our lawmakers and also with other business groups and promote whatever they are doing,” Dr. Gupta advised.