Governor Kathy Hochul Joins Thousands In NY Parade
NEW YORK, NY — New York Governor Kathy Hochul was the political star who led the city’s 44th annual India Day Parade on August 16, marching at the head of the celebration as about 200,000 people marched or lined Madison Avenue waving the Indian flag.
Hochul said she was honored to “celebrate the rich culture this vibrant community brings to New York.” The Democrat, who is seeking re-election in November, had earlier proclaimed August 15 as India Independence Day in New York State.
Marching alongside her were Indian American political leaders, including Republican attorney general candidate Sarita Komireddy, Democratic State Senator Jeremy Cooney and Congressman Shri Thanedar.
Actors Pooja Hegde and Adivi Sesh were the chief guests and rode on floats as fans cheered along the route.
Themed “Harmony in heritage,” the parade celebrated India’s cultural diversity and the contributions of the Indian American community to New York, the US and beyond. The 44th edition featured 36 floats representing India’s religious and cultural diversity, along with Indian American businesses, media organizations and nonprofits.
“The parade, which has gotten better and bigger every year, proudly shows the contributions of the diaspora not only to New York and the US, but also to the world,” organizer Avinash Gupta said.
Dancers performed along the route, while bands from the New York Police Department, schools and cultural organizations provided music ranging from Western marching tunes to Indian melodies. A music and dance program and a nearby street festival featuring Indian cuisine continued the celebrations after the parade.
The celebrations began on August 15 with flag-hoisting ceremonies. India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations P. Harish hoisted the Tiranga at India’s UN Mission and read President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the nation. At the Indian Consulate, Consul General Binaya Pradhan raised the flag before a large community gathering, followed by a cultural program showcasing India’s heritage.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani who did not attend the main Manhattan parade, breaking a decades-old tradition of the city’s mayor joining the event, instead attended a smaller Independence Day celebration in Queens on August 15.
After the Queens celebration, Mamdani wrote on X that he was there as “the first Indian American mayor of New York City.”
“Mayor David Dinkins once described our city as a gorgeous mosaic. Today, I saw that mosaic in the Hindus and Christians, Muslims and Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs across the Indian diaspora who have helped make our city what it is,” Mamdani said. (IANS)
