IAS Parade @ California Capitol – India’s 76th 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 this August.  On Aug 20th, 2022 at 10 AM, IAS unfurled the Indian tricolor flag 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 40 decorated cars to celebrate Azadi Ki Amrut Mahotsav & mark the 76th year of Indian Independence 

Paresh Sinha, the Parade Lead and Vandna Sharma the IAS President led the car parade in front of over 40 cars that were decorated with Indian and US flags, Indian regional leaders & distinguished personnel, monuments, and cultural representative symbols. Mr. Ajit Natu – IAS Board of Trustees Chairman, Dr. Bhavin Parikh, and IAS Executive Committee Members: Mrs. Ranju Verma, Mr. Amitab Shaikh, Mr. Gobi Ramaswamy, Mr. Shekhar Tiwari,  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 40 cars drove through downtown and at the end, the group rallied around the State Capitol. At the Capitol Building Lawn gathering, IAS President Vandna Sharma said, “It was the largest 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 76th birthday, I wish everyone a very happy Indian Independence Day”. 

“This 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 unfurling of the tricolors at the California State Capitol Building, history has been created for the 3rd 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 Ranju Varma reiterated it was a historic moment for the Indian community that the tricolor was unfurled in front of the CA State Capitol. “It is indeed a proud moment for all of us,” she said. IAS Secretary Mr. Amitab Shaikh said, “Over the last 76 years, India emerged as the largest democratic country and an example of global peace”. The Indian Association treasurer, Gobi Ramaswamy said “it is great to see the attendees joining the Capitol event in their regional traditional attire. Several Indian Americans have taken up official federal government positions, including The United States has a Vice President who is of Indian origin – which is special for this year”. IAS Joint Secretary Mr. Shekhar Tiwari thanked everyone who participated in the car parade beating the summer heat wave in Sacramento.

The following day on the 21st, at 10 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 – Sacramento.  They all were mesmerized by watching colorful rich Indian cultural performances for about 6 hrs non-stop and congratulated the cultural show participants and show lead Mr. Shivesh Sinha. Deputy Consulate General of India at San Francisco’s Indian Consulate, Mr. Rajesh N Naik attended IAS India Day in person and wished the Sacramento Indian Community on the occasion of 76th Independence Day. Addressing the Indian Community, Mr. Naik spoke about India’s legacy after 75 years of independence, its contribution to American society, and how Indians across the globe including in the USA can contribute in the next 25 years while it celebrates the hundred years of Independence.

The local Folsom Cordova Unified School District Board Member, Chris Clark mentioned that Indian Independence was marked largely by non-violent resistance and civil disobedience and Independence Day is celebrated by the Indian diaspora worldwide. Rancho Cordova City Councilmember, Siri Pulipati said Sacramento would not be the place it is without our thriving Indian-American community.

The guests of honors for this year’s IAS India Day include Ken Cooley – California State Assemblyman, Bobbie Singh-Allen – Elk Grove City Mayor,  Bill Halldin – Rocklin City Mayor, Amy Tong – Secretary of the California State Government Operations Agency,  Darren Suen – Elk Grove City Vice Mayor, Stephanie Nguyen – Elk Grove City Councilmember, Pat Hume – Elk Grove City Councilmember, Kevin Spease – Elk Grove City Councilmember, Siri Pulipati –  Rancho Cordova City Councilmember, YK Chalamcherla – Folsom City Councilmember, Jill Gayaldo –  Rocklin City Councilmember, Chris Clark – Folsom-Cordova School District Member,  Rob Brewer – Cosumnes CSD, Shelby Samaniego –  Community outreach specialist and FBI agent, and Harp Dulai – Special FBI Agent. 

Shanti Landon who is running for Placer County Supervisor position visited the IAS India Day in person and congratulated IAS for conducting such a great event. Several attendees congratulated IAS for conducting India Day event to showcase a diversified Indian heritage with a wide variety of regional languages, colorful costumes, cultural dances, music, food, stalls, and more.

IAS felicitated eight youth members,, aged 21 or under, from the local Indian Community with “IAS Young Achiever Award” for the year 2022. The award recipients includes Neil Nayyar, Avanti Ramraj, Armaan Khan, Pranav Bollapragada, Samyukta Sudheer, Kristen Jacob, Medhansh T Pattani, and Diya Iyer. Deputy Consulate General at San Francisco’s Indian Consulate Mr Rajesh N Naik and California State Assemblyman Ken Cooley congratulated all these Youth members and presented IAS Young Achiever Award Certificates to them. 

IAS officer Vendor Committee Lead Mr. Venu Acharya expressed sincere thanks to the sponsors and vendors for supporting IAS India Day. For the year 2022 IAS announced Hope 3 Foundation and Annapoorna USA Foundation for receiving charity funds. IAS Media Committee Lead Venkat Nagam, and IAS ex-President and Women Empowerment Committee Lead Anupriya Ramraj have presented the Seattle, WA-based Hope 3 Foundation’s work in helping unprivileged student’s education and Annapurna Foundation’s work for feeding homeless people around Sacramento. As a result, several audiences have reached out to IAS officers expressing their intent to help out both foundations’ initiatives.

Mr. Ajit Natu, IAS Board of Trustees Chairman thanked IAS Sports Lead Darshan Divecha and Ms. Lakhwinder Kaur 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. Natu thanked IAS officers and volunteers’ tireless and selfless efforts of the volunteers working round the clock to ensure the success of all the events. Mr. Natu 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. Event Photos: https://tinyurl.com/IasIndiaDay2022 Event Videos: https://tinyurl.com/IASIndiaDay2022Video

Established in 2005, the Indian Association of Sacramento is one of the largest umbrella organizations in the Indian community. Since 2006, the IAS has been organizing India Day annually, which showcases India’s cultural heritage and history. Since its inception, IAS has raised over $230,000 funds for helping out several non-profits in and out of the USA. In the last two and half years, IAS raised $12,000 in funds and assisted needy people living in Greater Sacramento with face masks, meals, groceries, and medical and school supplies. IAS media representatives Venkat Nagam, and Venu Mallesara suggested the readers visit the IAS website: http://www.iassac.org/ & FB page https://www.facebook.com/IndiaDaySacramento for more information about IAS and its events/activities spread throughout the year.