The world’s largest ‘India Day Parade’ outside of India began on Sunday afternoon in New York City, with massive floats and marching units comprised of members of the Indian-American community.
Several representatives of the diaspora attended the event, including spiritual Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, actors Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Jacqueline Fernandez, and New York City Mayor Eric Adam.
The parade began at 12 p.m. (local time) on New York’s 38th Street and Madison Avenue. The Federation of India Association in New York organised it as part of the 41st World Largest India Day Parade.
#WATCH | Celebrations underway at the 41st Annual India Day Parade in New York, USA
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Actors Samantha Prabhu, Jacqueline Fernandez, New York City Mayor Eric Adam, and others are attending the parade. pic.twitter.com/pOiJF165Lm
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2023
The procession acted as a vibrant convergence of cultures, patriotism, and shared ideals that bind India and America, with many hoisting the Indian tricolour and dressed in joyful garb, and performers dancing and playing drums.
During the parade, Jacqueline Fernandez was spotted waving the Indian tricolour. The march was also attended by Randhir Jaiswal, the Consul General of India in New York. He stated that India and the United States share democratic principles and that India’s message is to be a “force for global good.”
The motto for this year is “Mission Life,” which is also the name of a public movement initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Mission life is lifestyle about the environment. We want to tell the world that we must change our behavioural habits. We must change the way we live if we care about the planet,” Jaiswal said.
He went on to say that the world is enjoying the year of millets, which are considered superfoods that can also benefit the environment because they can be cultivated with less water than other foods.
Regarding Mission Life, PM Modi emphasised that climate change requires contributions from individuals, families, and communities in addition to the government.
The Prime Minister emphasised that Mission LiFE makes the battle against climate change democratic, allowing everyone to contribute in their own way.
Samantha, who will next be seen in the film ‘Kushi’ alongside Vijay Deverakonda, described the experience as a privilege to witness such a beautiful portrayal of Indian culture and heritage.
“It is truly an honour for me to be here today…you have made me realise how rich my culture and heritage is and what I have seen today will last me for a lifetime. Thank you for all the support through the years. Thank you USA for supporting every film of mine,” Samantha said.
Many Indian celebrities, including Arjun Rampal, Abhishek Bachchan, Rana Daggubati, Tamannaah Bhatia, Sunny Deol, Allu Arjun, and Raveena Tandon, have previously been invited to the parade.
