• By Prof. Indrajit S Saluja

Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) came into being in 1977 after changing the name of umbrella organization “Joint Committee of Indian Organizations” founded in 1975, under the leadership of Rajan Ghosh. The main goal of this organization was to celebrate India’s Independence and Republic days in Tristate area by bringing under one roof Indian students organizations: India Club of New York University, India Club of Columbia University and Association of Indians in America, The Bharathi Society of America and the Tagore Society of America.

The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) Founder, Thomas Abraham, a Christian from Kerala, was elected First President of FIA in 1977. The India Day Parade has since been an annual feature.

A notable addition to the annual parade was made in 1983 to have a film star as Parade’s Grand Marshal. Bollywood actor- Sunil Dutt- was the first to be invited as the Grand Marshal of the Parade, and from then on it became a tradition to have a Bollywood actor as Parade’s Grand Marshal. Ace photographer Jay Mandal presents here selected photographs of India Day Parade organized by the FIA from 2004 to 2019
Also included here are some photographs from Independence Day celebration at the Indian Consulate in New York in 2016. It was the 1st time that in 2016 the Independence Day of India was celebrated in the street outside the Indian Consulate in New York. Then Deputy Consul General and presently India’s Ambassador to Guatemala, Manoj Mahapatra was instrumental to get the city’s permission, and the Indian Tricolor was hoisted by then MOS MJ Akbar on 64th Street, between 5th Ave and Madison Ave.
Included here are also a few pictures of Independence Day celebration at the Permanent Mission of India in 2018.