India Day Parade in NY to attempt world records

New York: An Indian Khadi national flag will be hoisted at Times Square, a 220 feet tricolor will fly over the Hudson River, and the Empire State Building will be lighted up in Indian tricolors on August 15 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Indian Independence in New York.

The celebrations would continue till the weekend when Superstar Allu Arjun will lead the 40th India Day Parade as Grand Marshal on August 21. Allu Arjun will be accompanied by NYC Mayor Eric Adams and a host of other distinguished dignitaries and celebrities, a press release from The Federation of Indian Associations – New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut (FIA) said.

The Independence Day Parade of New York City is considered the largest India Day celebration outside the country. Floats will roll down Madison Avenue from 26th to 23rd streets during the parade, and food stands and cultural programming will be set up adjacent to Madison Square Park for the entire day.

Moreover, at this year’s parade, attempts will be made to set two Guinness World Records for the ‘most different flags flown simultaneously’ and the ‘largest ensemble of Damaru.’ FIA President Kenny Desai is hoping for a successful event given the tremendous zeal and enthusiasm of the Indian diaspora for the event.

The FIA has planned to attempt two Guinness World Records – the highest number of most different flags from across the world flown simultaneously, and the largest ensemble of ancient Indian musical instruments – Damaru, as part of India’s “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”.

The annual cultural extravaganza, which had also faced disruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, runs through several streets of Madison Avenue in the heart of Manhattan, featuring tableaux by various Indian-American organizations, marching bands, police contingents, and cultural performances by young Indian-American children.

Popular celebrities and artists from India are invited every year as chief guests and grand marshals for the parade. In previous years, actors Arjun Rampal, Abhishek Bachchan, Baahubali actors Rana Daggubati, Tamannaah Bhatia, Sunny Deol, and Raveena Tandon have attended the parade.

Image courtesy of (Image Courtesy: Telugu360.com)

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