India’s 80th Independence Day was marked across the New York tri-state area with a host of events, including a “special celebration” in New Jersey where a world record was set and a parade in Queens joined by New York City’s Indian-origin mayor Zohran Mamdani.
A Guinness World Record for the “Largest Flagpole Number” was set at Veterans Memorial Park in Parsippany, New Jersey, on Saturday, in a joint celebration of India’s 80th Independence Day and the 250th anniversary of the United States.
More than 1,300 US flags were arranged to form the number “250”, surrounded by Indian tricolours, to mark America’s semiquincentennial anniversary.
New York City Mayor Mamdani also joined the Indian Independence Day celebrations, attending the Queens India Day Parade in Floral Park.
In a post on X, Mamdani, who described himself as the “first Indian-American mayor of New York City”, said the parade was an experience he would never forget.
“Mayor David Dinkins once described our city as a gorgeous mosaic. Today, I saw that mosaic in the Hindus and Christians, Muslims and Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs across the Indian diaspora who have helped make our city what it is. To all of them, I say: it is an honour to do that work alongside you,” he said.
New Jersey’s event was led by the Consulate General of India in New York in partnership with the diaspora organisation Federation of Indian Associations NY-NJ-NE (FIA), with support from Indian technology company Zoho.
“Guinness World Record @GWR for the ‘Largest Flagpole Number’ in a Special Celebration of India@80 and America@250,” the Indian consulate posted on X.
“The event was a memorable expression of India-US friendship and of the Indian-American community’s enduring contribution to bringing the two nations and their peoples closer together,” a media statement by the organisers said.
The events were among several programmes held across the New York tri-state area and other parts of the US to mark India’s Independence Day.
The New York tri-state area refers to the greater metropolitan region of New York City that extends across three states: New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Saturday’s event was attended by members of the Indian-American community, elected representatives and business and community leaders.
New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell, US Congresswoman Analilia Mejia, Consul General of India in New York Binaya Srikanta Pradhan and Parsippany Mayor Pulkit Desai addressed the event.
The speakers highlighted the strong bonds between India and the US. The Indian Consul General underscored the growing bilateral partnership and the role of the Indian diaspora in strengthening economic, cultural and people-to-people ties, the statement said.
The Guinness World Record also highlighted the diaspora’s role as a bridge between the two countries, it said.
“Through its contributions across business, technology, healthcare, education, science, public service, arts and culture, the Indian-American community continues to enrich American society while strengthening ties with India,” it said.
The Indian Consulate in New York and the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations also hosted flag-hoisting ceremonies attended by large numbers of members of the Indian diaspora.
At Times Square, the Indian tricolour was unfurled during an annual celebration hosted by the FIA, featuring cultural performances that showcased India’s heritage and the enduring India-US partnership.
Ahead of Independence Day, governors of several US states issued proclamations declaring August 15 as “India Day” in their respective jurisdictions.
US senators, governors, lawmakers, cities and towns also hailed the contributions of the Indian-American community to the country’s economic, cultural and educational life and highlighted the strong bilateral relationship.
Prominent landmarks, including the Empire State Building and Grand Central Terminal in New York, the Prudential Centre in Boston and Niagara Falls, were illuminated in the colours of the Indian tricolour.
FIA will host its 44th India Day Parade in Manhattan’s Madison Avenue on Sunday. The annual event features floats, tableaux and cultural performances and draws thousands of members of the Indian diaspora.
This year’s parade will feature the cast of the popular Indian television show “Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah” as chief guests and grand marshals.
-PTI
