The 74th Republic Day of India was celebrated in the Consulate General of India, New York with a flag hoisting ceremony on Thursday, January 26th, 2023.
Consul General Randhir Jaiswal unfurled the national flag after which the national anthem was sung. Consul General then read out the address of the President of India. A short cultural program of patriotic songs was presented by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, USA. A large number of members of the Indian diaspora and friends of India participated in the celebration. The event was webcast live through the Consulate’s social media platforms.
Consul General hosted a reception in the evening which was attended by prominent members of the diaspora, elected officials, members of the diplomatic corps, friends from media and people from different walks of life. The leading lights of the Indian diaspora graced the occasion, including Prof. S. R. Srinivasa Varadhan, the recipient of Padma Vibhushan this year – the second-highest civilian award. State Senator Kevin Thomas, Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the UN Ambassador R. Ravindra, Consuls General of Japan, Bangladesh, Mexico, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, Peru, Malaysia, and Germany, besides diplomats from several other Consulates participated in the reception. More than 150 guests graced the occasion.
The evening function began with the singing of the Indian and US national anthems by Master Ishaan Tangirala, a young talented singer of Indian origin from New Jersey. Consul General welcomed the guests and thanked everyone for their participation. He underlined the growing partnership between India and the US, the oldest and the largest democracies in the world and the key role of the diaspora in strengthening these ties. Congratulatory video messages from Congresswoman Susan Wild and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick was played, followed by a reading out of a citation from Congressman Michael Lawler. State Senator Kevin Thomas and Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar delivered remarks conveying their greetings on the 74th Republic Day of India. This was followed by a video on the Consulate’s activities. Later, Grammy Award-winning singer Falguni Shah delivered an enthralling performance of patriotic songs. Guests were then invited for an Indian dinner where they were treated to a wide variety of regional cuisines. A special attraction on the menu was cuisines of millets from different parts of India, in celebration of the International Year of Millets – 2023.
The event had a distinct flavor of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav – the celebration of 75 years of India’s independence. Enthusiastic participation from the diaspora ensured Jan Bhagidari – or people’s participation in the celebration of 74th Republic Day.
