Canadian minister leads India Independence Day celebrations

Toronto, Aug 19, 2015: Canadian Defence Minister Jason Kenney led the India Independence Day celebrations here by chanting `Bharat Mata ki jai’ and `Hindustan zindabad’.

For the first time also, the Indian Independence Day parade here on Sunday was led by a Canadian military band.

Striking a chord with the huge Indo-Canadian crowd at the celebrations by greeting them in multiple Indian languages, the Canadian defence minister lauded India’s diversity as a model for the world. "Canada didn’t invent diversity, India did," said the Canadian defence minister amid huge applause.

He said India is a Hindu-majority nation, but it had Abdul Kalam, a Muslim, as its president and Manmohan Singh as prime minister. "India is an example for the world."

Addressing the Indian prime minister as "Narendra Modi-ji", Jason Kenney said Canada welcomed him in April during "the first dedicated visit by an Indian prime minister in 40 years" after decades of "downgraded and frozen relationship".

Referring to the bilateral nuclear deal and expansion of Canadian trade missions in India, the minister said "Our Delhi high commission is the largest Canadian foreign mission in the world...and we are the only country to have a full consulate in Chandigarh..."

He said Canada has welcomed nearly 300,000 new Indian immigrants and the number of Indian students has quadrupled since his Conservative Party took over in 2006. "Our relationship has never been stronger."

Welcoming his Canadian guests and the Indo-Canadian community, Indian Consul General Akhilesh Mishra highlighted the special bonds between the two countries and the contribution of the 1.2 million-strong Indo-Canadian community in promoting ties between the two countries.

"While we can have any number of trading partners and suppliers of goods and technology, but Canada is a unique and very special partner for India for innovation research and human resource development. Because in canada, both in companies and universities, innovation is not driven primarily by corporate greed," he said.

The colourful Indian Independence Day parade, which included cultural troupes from many Indian states, was led by a Canadian military band and also included Lt Col (Hon) Hari Panday. Indian Army colonel Vishesh Arora, who was in Toronto, also joined the parade in his uniform.

After the speeches and the parade, the day-long celebrations were packed with cultural performances even as food, jewellery and other ethnic ware stalls turned the heart of Toronto into a mini India for the day.

Canadian Immigration Minister Chris Alexander was among the many Canadian leaders who attended the celebrations.

Overwhelming response to I-Day parade in Chicago

Chicago, Aug 19- One of the most striking scenes at the India Independence Day parade in Naperville, an affluent Chicago suburb, was watching the Mayor Emeritus leading the parade resplendent in a Rajasthani 'pagdi’ (turban).

At the ‘mela’ (fair) that followed the parade, American elected officials could be seen digging into delicacies like ‘pav bhaji’ and ‘vada pav’.

Naperville hosted its first India Day, with an estimated crowd of over 10,000 spectators, sizable for a first-time ethnic event.

A colourful procession with 16 decorated floats sponsored by various community organizations, businesses and restaurants wended its way along the half mile route.

Several dance groups representing the diverse dance forms and music of India were part of the procession.

Among the local dignitaries attending were the chiefs of the police and fire brigade, city council members, aldermen (equivalent to an Indian municipal corporator) and elected representatives of the Illinois legislature.

Illinois Lt. Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti, the first Latino to hold the office, hailed the diversity that was being celebrated, adding that there was a need for more diverse cultures in state leadership so that all races and colors were adequately represented.

Other elected officials said they were pleasantly surprised to note the overwhelming response to the parade given the fact that this was the first such event by the Indian American community in Naperville.

Krishna Bansal, chairman of the Naperville Indian Community Outreach (NICO) which was the primary organizer of the event, said that the parade celebrated the integration of the Indian American community and was the successful culmination of an idea mooted a couple of years back and actively encouraged by the then mayor and the Naperville City Council.

He said that the parade this year was only a beginning and would be surpassed in both magnitude and participation in the coming years. He made a strong plea for greater participation of the Indian American community in the political process.

American spectators and Indian Americans born in the US appeared to be fascinated by the sheer riot of colours with dancers representing various Indian states performing to traditional folk music.

Spectators lining the route waved Indian and American flags.

The parade on Chicago’s Devon Avenue has till today been the major such event in the Midwest.

The Naperville parade signals a dramatic demographic shift in the Indian American population. The area near Devon has traditionally been the first stop for immigrants from the sub-continent, looking for community networking, Indian restaurants and stores and accessible public transport. These immigrants later moved to the suburbs as they prospered.

But in recent years the vast majority of Indian immigrants have skipped Chicago entirely, instead settling near jobs at high-tech companies in the suburbs, including Motorola in Schaumburg, 3Com in Rolling Meadows and Lucent Technologies in Lisle, all Chicago suburbs.

Most of them are information technology or medical professionals who choose suburbs like Naperville for the highly rated school system.

For long, the biggest Indian Independence Day parades in the US have been held in New York and California, the states with the largest number of Indian Americans. But as successful Indian professionals have moved inward, these events have become a regular feature in even smaller cities.

Local administrations have quickly adapted to the special needs of South Asian immigrants. Naperville, for instance, has set up three cricket pitches, for a game not traditionally played in the US.

The Naperville event organizers made a special effort to project the India Day as a celebration of the contribution and assimilation of the Indian American community into the mainstream, as much as a celebration of their Indian heritage.

Now that months of preparation have culminated in an event lauded by the local community, the organizers said they are hoping for an even more elaborate affair next year.

Meanwhile, the neighboring suburb of Aurora, known as the City of Lights, has officially sponsored the Diwali celebrations in October-for the second year in a row

Biggest-ever India Day Parade in New York

New York, Aug 17. 2015: Thousands of people from the Indian diaspora, Bollywood celebrities and Indian politicians were part of the spectacular 35th annual India Day Parade in New York.

Billed as the biggest Indian parade outside India to celebrate the 69th Independence Day, the event kicked off on Sunday with a Scottish-style bagpipe band in kilts -- flying an Indian flag.

The India Day Parade took place along a 13-block stretch of Madison Avenue in the heart of Manhattan city, metro.us news portal reported.

Actor Arjun Rampal was the Grand Marshal at the parade while Parineeti Chopra was the guest of honour at the event attended by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, India's consul general Dnyaneshwar Mulay and former union minister Shashi Tharoor, among others.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) Band and the India Temple organisation's band played the national anthems of India and the US.

Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag was the guest star cricketer in the parade.

Music composer Shankar Mahadevan, TV actors Aamir Ali and Sanjeeda Sheikh and Indian-origin American singer Jeffrey Iqbal were also seen in the parade.

The parade ran through 20 streets in Madison avenue and featured tableaux by various Indian-American organisations, marching bands, police contingents and cultural performances by young children.

In his brief remarks, Khattar, accompanied by consul general Mulay, congratulated the huge gathering of Indians and lauded the achievements of the diaspora.

"Indians have the perfect balance between modern and traditional and have great cultural values," said Parineeti.

The parade ended in a colourful Indian fair which featured cuisine from India, and stalls showcasing Indian handicrafts and textiles.

The parade has been organised here since 1981 by the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA).

The FIA of the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut is one of the largest umbrella organisations in the Indian community and represents over 500,000 Indians.

• 38,000 attend US parade to mark I-Day

Posted By: NRIReporteron: August 15, 2015In: Diaspora-News, Today's StoriesNo Comments

Washington, Aug 15 (IANS) Some 38,000 people, including Indian celebrities, attended a spectacular parade in the US town of Edison to mark India’s 69th Independence Day, a media report said.

The 11th Annual Official New Jersey India Day Parade saw over 20 floats, dozens of walking groups and marching bands perform in the nearly two-kilometre parade, which commenced from Edison and concluded in India Square near Woodbridge town, India West reported on Friday.

Indian celebrities including talk show host Richa Anirudh, Bollywood actresses Avani Modi, Prachee Shah, Madalsa Sherma, Sameksha Singh and Sujata Mehta attended the parade.

The event, which was attended by over 100 New Jersey-based organisations, featured a 110 member marching band and several dance groups as well.

Leading the political delegation were Edison Mayor Tom Lankey and Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac.

Indian Americans account for 12.93 percent of New Jersey’s Middlesex county, where Edison town is located.

http://nripress.com/38000-attend-us-parade-to-mark-i-day/

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Indians in Fiji celebrate I-Day

Posted By: NRIReporteron: Aug 16 , 2015: Diaspora-News, Today's StoriesNo Comments

Suva, Aug 16 (IANS) Fijians of Indian-descent celebrated India’s 69th Independence Day at India House here with the Indian envoy spreading the message of peace and friendship, a media report said on Sunday.

Indian High Commissioner to Fiji Gitesh Sharma said the rise of India would be measured by the strength of their values, and determined by economic growth and equitable distribution of the nation’s resources.

http://nripress.com/indians-in-fiji-celebrate-i-day/

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Indians in UAE yearn for women's safety on I-Day

Abu Dhabi, Aug 16 , 2015: Aug 16 (IANS) As the diaspora in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) celebrated India's 69th Independence Day, many expatriates wished for the safety of women in India, a media report said on Sunday.

Excited about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the UAE on Sunday and Monday, a surge of patriotism among Indians was evident……

http://www.ians.in/index.php?param=news/C-1-705692

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Indian-Americans in Cleveland celebrate I-Day

Posted By: NRIReporteron: Aug 16 , 2015:Diaspora-News, Politics, Today's StoriesNo Comments

Washington, Aug 16 (IANS) The Indian community in the US city of Cleveland observed India’s 69th Independence Day, marking the event with yoga, speeches, dance and musical performances.

Many Indian-Americans practiced yoga before a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the India Cultural Garden in the morning, cleveland.com news portal reported on Saturday.

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Indian community in US celebrates Independence Day

Washington, Aug 16 , 2015: Indian community here celebrated India's 69th Independence Day with ambassador Arun K. Singh unfurling the national flag and a cultural programme of patriotic songs in different Indian languages.

Over 350 community members attended the Independence Day celebrations at Embassy Residence and sang the national anthem.The ambassador addressed the guests and read out President's Independence Day address to the nation.

http://nripress.com/indian-community-in-us-celebrates-independence-day/

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Anil Kapoor lights up I-Day celebrations in Melbourne

Posted By: NRIReporteron: August 15, 2015In: Cinema-Showbiz, Diaspora-News, Top StoriesNo Comments

Melbourne, Aug 15 (IANS) Bollywood superstar Anil Kapoor unfurled the Indian flag at Federation Square on Saturday to commemorate India’s 69th Independence Day.

“As India makes progress in leaps and bounds and marches to become an economic superpower, we as Indian global citizens have to take upon ourselves further this cause of growth and progress,” Kapoor said while addressing an enthusiastic Indian-diaspora crowd.

“Whatever professions we practice, whatever avenues we foray into, let’s promise ourselves that we will always strive for excellence,” said the superstar who is in Melbourne to attend the 40th Indian Film Festival.

http://nripress.com/anil-kapoor-lights-up-i-day-celebrations-in-melbourne/

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Saudi Arabia’s Indian diaspora lauded on Independence Day

Posted By: NRIReporteron: August 15, 2015In: Diaspora-News, Today's StoriesNo Comments

Riyadh, Aug 15 (IANS) Indian expatriates through their hard work, dedication, discipline and law abiding nature, have earned the goodwill of Saudi Arabia, Indian Consul General, B.S. Mubarak said on the occasion of India’s 69th Independence Day on Saturday.

“I take this opportunity to acknowledge the contribution of the Indian expatriate community in building a positive image of India in Saudi Arabia and in promoting India-Saudi relations,” Arab News quoted Mubarak as saying in a message to the Indian community.

http://nripress.com/saudi-arabias-indian-diaspora-lauded-on-independence-day/

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Gandhi statue unveiled in Houston's 'Little India'

(15:50)  New York, Aug 17, 2015:  A day after India celebrated its 69th Independence Day, Indian-Americans in Houston, Texas paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi by unveiling his bronze statue.

Unveiled at the entrance of "Little India" -- an area off Hillcroft Avenue in Texas - the monument is a marble structure bearing a bronze engraving of the Mahatma's face.

"This is a fitting monument," chron.com news portal quoted Harish Parvathaneni, the Consul General of India, as saying.

The Indian community raised $25,000 to construct the statue and worked closely with the city officials.

The first draft that arrived in July did not look like Gandhi so it was redesigned again, the portal said.

Nearly 125,000 people of Indian origin live in Houston.

"In 1968, there were barely half a dozen Indian families that had made this their home," Virendra Mathur, trustee and co-founder of a local community centre, was quoted as saying.

Several officials attended the event, including US Representative Al Green (D-Houston), state Representative Gene Wu (D-Houston) and Houston city council member Mike Laster.

"Gandhi is famous for saying, 'We should be the change that we seek'. It is obvious that this community has taken up this cause," Green said.

The area in Houston was formally named "The Mahatma Gandhi district" in 2011 and is home to dozens of Indian restaurants, grocery stores, jewellery stores and other businesses.