I.S. Saluja

HICKSVILLE, NY (TIP): Countdown has begun for the 10^th IDP USA Parade of Long Island on Sunday, August 8 to celebrate India’s 75^th Independence Day. Notwithstanding fresh threats from Covid variant Delta and warnings from health experts of a possible wave of the virus spreading across the country, there is a huge enthusiasm among the Indian community to participate. Moreover, the two other India Day parades- one in Manhattan and the other in Queens- are not happening, leaving the IDP USA of Long Island as the only India Day celebratory parade that people can participate in.

According to the parade organizers, tens of thousands are expected to march in the parade and cheer it from the sidewalks as it starts at 1 PM from Patel Brothers and walks down the Little India part of Hicksville to culminate near Asa Mai Hindu temple on East Barclay Street where the entertainment stage will be set up with a live DJ as well as stalls selling ethnic goodies and food. Admission is free.

Giving details of the program at a press conference, IDP USA Vice President and a former President Jay Jasbir Singh disclosed that Consul General Randhir Jaiswal, who had graced the parade curtain raiser at the Indian Consulate on June 24, is Grand Marshall. The other two Grand Marshals are renowned film star Ileana D’Cruz  and Philanthropist, Entrepreneur and Life Consultant Dr Jay Sarkar. Deepak Bansal, President of IDP USA, who thanked the IDP USA office bearers and committee chairs for working day in and day out to make preparations for the massive parade, appealed to the gathering at the press conference to loosen their purse strings and bring their families and friends to the Parade to make the parade an event to remember.

Mr. Bansal thanked in particular active support and guidance from Jasbir Jay Singh, under whose presidency the parade in 2019 and the gala that followed were the talk of Long Island. He said that the paradethis year is expected to be super-successful, coming as it does afterthe peak of the pandemic.

The parade’s four Guests of Honor are: internationally renowned oncologist and Padma Shri Dr Dattatreyudu Nori, Diwali Foundation USA Chair Ranju Batra, Navika Group CEO and President Naveen Shah and young guru and motivational speaker Ishan Shivanand.

The names of honorees at the parade and at the gala will be announced subsequently, the organizers said.

A highlight of the parade will be a raffle, where the top prize is a car sponsored by DP Singh of Meetu Magic. Other exciting prizes include jewelry, smartphone and cash.

The parade this year is supported by top brands and names as Grand Sponsors including Phalguni Chintu Patel, Shiv Yog, Navika Group, Bolla Market, The South Asian Times, CheapOair, Patel Brothers, Vass Pipe, The Portables Choice Corp, PICC, Flushing Bank, Maharaja, Badshah, Commercial Capital Funding Group, Elevator the movie, Indian Visa Center, Omni Mortgage, and HAB Bank. Several media organizations are also supporting the parade by promoting it.

Addressing the press conference attended by representatives of leading newspapers and electronic media, IDP USA Founders Bobby K. Kalotee and Kamlesh C. Mehta said that this parade is special as it is celebrating India’s landmark 75th Independence Day and that it is timed well as pandemic restrictions have been lifted. It is also the only parade in the entire New York state.

Past President Jay Singh implored the community and community organizations to come one and all to the parade in Hicksville on August 8 and support it by way of taking out floats and booths as well as booking ads in the souvenir which will be released at the gala celebrating the success of the parade at Antun’s by Minar on Thursday August 19, 2021.  30 booths and 9 floats have already been booked.

Dr Jay Sarkar said he is honored to represent India and the community, and that we should thank both India, our motherland, for our heritage and culture, and America, our adopted country, which allows us to practice our traditions and showcase them at an event like this parade.

“IDP USA was established in 2012 to create awareness of Indian contributions to the local community by celebrating India’s Independence Day every year. A 501(c) non-profit tax-exempt organization, its mission is to empower the Indian community through promoting economic development, education, community leadership, social advancement and environmental awareness. The non-partisan and secular IDP USA brings together over 100 religious, cultural, regional, and charity organizations serving the community”, the press release said.

(With inputs from a Press release)