Mayor of NYC joins India’s 78th Independence Day celebrations at historic Bowling Green

- ADVERTISEMENT -

The 78th anniversary of India’s democracy was celebrated on August 15, 2024 at Bowling Green in Manhattan, a historic site of American democracy, close to the New York harbor.

The celebration, which included a flag hoisting, singing of the national anthems of US and India, and cultural performances of music and dance, was arranged by the Indian Cultural Association of North America and was attended by several city officials, including  India’s Consul General in New York Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, NYC Mayor Eric Adams, Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi who is the first Indian-American to hold that post, Deputy Commissioner of Trade and Business Dilip Chauhan and leading representatives of the Indian American community.

Consul General Binaya Srikanta Pradhan spoke about the continuously improving bilateral relations between India and the US which had reached a point where the two countries “are working on all sectors of human endeavor.”

“If President Biden says that this is the most consequential partnership of 21^st century, we in India echo that,” Pradhan said. He dwelt on India’s growth over these years and the important contributions of Indian Americans. Referring to the celebration, he said, “It’s also a story of Indian people coming here, working hard, contributing to the nation-building of the United States in a tremendous way.”

Speaking at the event, Mayor Adams reminded the gathering that he was the first mayor to have celebrated India’s democracy at Bowling Green. Citing the large number of professionals, business owners, health professionals in the medical field, educators, and teachers from the Indian community, he urged Indian Americans to keep excelling at all levels.

“You do us proud here in this city and in our entire country,” Adams said.

Adams recalled visiting Shantivan in New Delhi, where Mahatma Gandhi was killed on his way to the prayers and said it was a reminder. “… we have a responsibility and obligation to continue those footsteps. We have to fulfill what he thought we should do as we lift up humanity,” Adams said.

Emphasizing how diversity was important for NYC, Adams pointed out that the Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi was the first Indian American to hold the post and manage the challenging infrastructure of NYC. He also made a reference to the Presidential candidate Kamala Harris of Indian descent.

“Let us continue to lift each other up on 78 years of independence. Let us continue to be dependent on each other as we move forward,” he said.

Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi said celebrating India’s independence near the harbor in New York City was a wonderful thing. She said New York was unique in that it housed more Indian Americans than anywhere else in the US, more than even Edison, NJ.

She echoed Adam’s sentiments about Harris’s run for Presidency. “I think it is an exciting moment for our nation, it is an exciting moment for our community and it is an exciting moment for inclusivity,” she said, and added, “It is a really important thing to understand that as a city, and as a nation that we evolve as we grow together.”

Deputy Commissioner of Trade, Investment, and Innovation for New York City, Dilip Chauhan, spoke about the upcoming first Diwali holiday in NYC’s public schools, and how that would encourage understanding and tolerance between cultures. Chauhan also said NYC was back in business, especially the city’s hospitality industry. He assured business owners help from the Mayor’s office in opening a new business or in expanding an existing business.

Joshi presented a proclamation to the president of the Indian Cultural Association of North America, saying, “… in recognition of all the work that you (the organization) do representing a vast, diverse and important culture in a city where it is hard to compete for attention”. The event ended with cultural performances.

Mayor Adams also attended an Independence Day celebration on Hillside Avenue in Bellerose, Queens. Organized by the local group, the ceremony was attended by the Indian American community and businesses on Hillside Avenue, who distributed food and drinks to the passing parade members, which included a march by the NYPD members.