Association of Indo Americans and Bolly 92.3 FM Host Grand Diwali Celebration in Downtown San Jose

Downtown San Jose came alive with vibrant colors, music, cultural performances, and the festive spirit of India as the Association of Indo Americans (AIA) and Bolly 92.3 FM jointly organized a grand Diwali celebration on Saturday, October 24. Over 10,000 people from across the Bay Area flocked to downtown San Jose to participate in the day-long Diwali carnival under the stars, highlighting the growing popularity of the Festival of Lights as an inclusive community gathering that bridges diverse cultural backgrounds.

Distinguished Dignitaries and Lamp-Lighting Ceremony:
The celebration was graced by prominent leaders, government officials, and community representatives who participated in traditional lamp-lighting ceremonies and shared heartfelt greetings:

Matt Mahan – Mayor of San Jose

Satish Sivan – Consul General of India, San Francisco

Tom Pyke – Representative from the Office of Congressman Ro Khanna

Nicholas Hargis – Representative from the Office of Congressman Sam Liccardo

Betty Duong – Santa Clara County Supervisor

The-Vu Nguyen – Representative from the Office of Santa Clara County Supervisor Otto Lee

Raj Salwan – Mayor of Fremont

Larry Klein – Mayor of Sunnyvale

Bien Doan & Rosemary Kamei – San Jose City Councilmembers

Paul Joseph – Chief of Police, City of San Jose

Murali Srinivasan – Sunnyvale City Councilmember

Raj Chahal – Santa Clara City Councilmember

Ajay Bhutoria – Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists

Scott Sakakihara – Union City Councilmember

Kathy Watanabe – Santa Clara Unified School District Board Member

Arjun Batra – Former San Jose City Councilmember

Cultural Highlights and Live Musical Performances:
A major highlight of the evening was a captivating live musical performance by singer Abby V, who energized the audience with his soulful voice and popular tracks including his featured song from the acclaimed film Kantara. The carnival featured an extensive showcase of Indian culture and entertainment, including traditional and contemporary dance performances, interactive Bollywood sing-alongs, and Tambola games.

Attractions, Food, and Marketplace:
The day-long celebration offered a wide variety of family-friendly attractions:

Culinary Delights: A diverse selection of food vendors offering authentic Indian flavors.

Shopping Festival: A bustling marketplace featuring local vendors and unique products.

Kids’ Zone: Dedicated activities and entertainment for younger attendees.

Business Booths: Platforms for local enterprises to connect with the broader Bay Area community.

Sponsors and Community Supporters:
AIA acknowledged the institutional support of the City of San Jose, Mayor Matt Mahan, the San Jose Downtown Association, and San Jose Parks. Key corporate sponsors included Sanjiv Gupta CPA (Grand Sponsor), Realtor Lavanya Duvvi (Platinum Sponsor), Travelopod (Travel Partner), and Realtor Nagaraj Annaiah (Presented by), alongside supporting partners like Insta Service, My Pursu, Kavya Foods, APEX Consulting, Malabar Jewelers, Daawat, Azad Financials, and Sling.