IAS India 77th Independence Day Celebrations

About three thousand people from the Greater Sacramento area and further away in the California-USA, attended to witness the Indian Independence Day celebrations organized by the Indian Association of Sacramento (IAS). After 2 years of virtual celebrations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, IAS resumed in-person India Day Celebrations last August.  On Aug 13th, 2023 at 10 AM, IAS members waved the Indian tricolor flags in the lawn area in front of the California State Capitol. On the same day at 9 AM, IAS conducted a car parade at the State Capitol, Sacramento with over 30 decorated cars to celebrate Azadi Ki Amrut Mahotsav & mark the 77th year of Indian Independence. 

Paresh Sinha – the Parade Lead, and Gobi Ramasamy – the IAS President, led the car parade in front of over 30 cars that were decorated with Indian and US flags, Indian regional leaders & distinguished personnel, monuments, and cultural representative symbols. Anupriya Ramraj, Bhaskar Vempati, Amitab Sheik, Anu Nandagopal, Bhavik Vyas, Bhavin Parikh, Gobi Ramasamy, Jay Shrivastava, Ranju Verma, Selvi Janardhan, Shivesh Sinha, Vandana Sharma, Venu Gopal Acharya, Venkat Nagam,  and several IAS committee members have helped with the car parade event coordination. The IAS supporting organization’s members and several community members have joined the car parade. 

The parade participants decorated their cars with colorful Indian flags and led the car parade. The entire group of 30 cars drove through downtown and at the end, the group rallied around the State Capitol. At the Capitol Building Lawn gathering, IAS President Gobi Ramasamy said, “It was one of the best ever in region history that IAS organized this car parade at the iconic CA State Capital venue in all its glory. On this very special day when our mother country is celebrating her 77th birthday, here I am wishing everyone dreams of a new tomorrow come true! may your Independence Day be filled with patriotic spirit”. Patriotic Indian slogans reverberated through the California Capitol Building as members of the Indian-origin community gathered in large numbers with Indian flags for the parade demonstration. 

“This year’s and last year’s Independence Day will mark a new chapter in IAS’s history, organizing India Day car parade, celebrating India’s Independence Day at the State Capitol building and an in-person cultural event at California State University – Sacramento” organizers said. IAS Board of Trustee Dr. Bhavin Parikh said with the demonstrating the tricolors at the California State Capitol Building, history has been created for the 4rd time in a row. A large number of people, dressed in traditional Indian clothes and wearing masks, joined the celebration in front of the CA State Capitol building. Waving the Indian and American flags, the people shouted slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, ‘Vande Mataram’, and ‘Jai Hind’.  The Indian national anthem was sung by the crowd. Several IAS Officers and volunteers welcomed the attendees and offered them delicious Indian Sweets. The crowd erupted in huge cheers and applause as the Indian tricolor flag was raised in front of CA State Capital, alongside the American flag, commenting that it was indeed a proud and historic moment created for all. 

IAS vice president Amitab Shaikh reiterated it was a historic moment for the Indian community as the tricolor was demonstrated in large numbers in front of the CA State Capitol. “It is indeed a proud moment for all of us, when India turns 77, we should turn the page on partisan communities. Our goal is a unified community” he said. IAS Secretary Ranju Varma said, “Today is the day to celebrate our outstanding achievements, great successes, our freedom struggle, all the sacrifices done by the leaders and also to chart out our future course of action”. The IAS Vice Secretary Bhavik Vyas said “good to see the attendees joining the Capitol parade event in their regional traditional attire. Several Indian Americans have taken up official local city council member positions recently – which is special”. IAS Treasurer Madhuri Natu thanked everyone who participated in the car parade beating the summer heat wave in Sacramento. 

The following Saturday on Aug 19th, at 11 AM thousands of members of the Indian-American community-based in the Greater Sacramento area participated in the IAS India Day Celebrations at California State University Union Building at Sacramento.  “All guests were mesmerized by watching colorful rich Indian cultural performances for about 6 hrs non-stop and congratulated the cultural show participants” said the cultural lead Selvi Janarthanan. 

Many elected officials attended IAS India Day in person and wished the Sacramento Indian Community on the occasion of 77th Independence Day. The guests of honors for this year’s IAS India Day include Bruce Houdesheldt – Mayor from City of Roseville, Bobbie Singh-Allen – Mayor & Kevin Spease Vice Mayor from Elk Grove City, YK Chalamcharla Vice Mayor Folsom City, Lisa Kaplan Councilmember, District 1 Sacramento, Sarah Aquino Council member Folsom City, Siri Pulipati Councilmember – Rancho Cordova, and Chris Clark FCUSD Board Member – Folsom. The local Folsom Cordova Unified School District Board Member, Chris Clark, expressed his best wishes to communities across Sacramento that are celebrating India’s 77th Independence Day. Rancho Cordova City Councilmember, Siri Pulipati said “Let’s celebrate our vibrant democracy and its progress and prosperity”. Several attendees congratulated IAS for conducting India Day event to showcase a diversified Indian heritage with a wide variety of regional languages, colorful costumes, mesmerizing cultural dances, music, food, stalls, and more. In addition to the cultural activities, IAS planned Indoor/Outdoor  Sports, Food Stalls, Jhanki (Tableau), Business and Non-Profit Stalls,  Henna, Face Painting and Kids balloons, Forums on Women Empowerment and Mental Health Awareness were conducted. 

IAS officer Mr. Venu Acharya expressed sincere thanks to the sponsors and vendors for supporting IAS India Day. For the year 2023, IAS announced NEMI and Suvidha International will receive charity funds. IAS Marketing Committee Lead Venkat Nagam, and IAS ex-President IAS Board of Trustee Dr. Bhavin Parikh have presented a slide show to the audience about the NAMI – a Sacramento based nonprofit group (https://namisacramento.org/) for helping people with mental illness and Suvidha International Foundation’s (https://suvidhainternational.org/) work in helping unprivileged student’s education supporting women with stitching machines living in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Delhi and Karnataka. As a result, several audiences have reached out to IAS officers expressing their intent to help out both foundations’ initiatives. IAS officer Mr. Bulbul Kadakia instrumentally worked behind the scenes with IAS Executive Committee, Board of Trustees, and committee members to pick the two charities for this year 2023. 

Mr. Satheesh Nagaraj, IAS Board of Trustees Chairman, thanked IAS Sports Lead Anu Nandagopal for planning IAS sports events and leading a team of volunteers who have worked round the clock to prepare for the sports events held in July and August. Mr. Nagaraj thanked IAS officers and volunteers’ tireless and selfless efforts of the volunteers working round the clock to ensure the success of all the planned events in conjunction with IAS India Day this year. Mr. Shivesh Sinha thanked everyone in the audience for supporting IAS’s traditional way of celebrating India Day.  For those who missed the IAS India Day event, IAS encourages them to enjoy the event records using these links. 

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