CHICAGO: The near week long celebrations of India Day in Chicagoland culminated with the FIA (the Federation of Indian Associations) Chicago hosting a colorful Parade on Mahatma Gandhi Marg near Devon Avenue. The FIA (suburb) hosted a small but delightful meet in Schaumburg. The Midwest Alliance not lagging behind had a wonderful day-long celebration in Naperville.
It was a general belief that the FIA Parade was losing its original luster with the attendance falling steadily over the years and this year could have bottomed to the worst so far. But doomsayers were proved wrong as thousands of Chicagoans from all walks of life and from all communities flocked to Mahatma Gandhi Marg on Saturday August 16 to witness the Parade, flag hoisting ceremony and the Mela that followed. This was despite the fact that no Bollywood stars came to lend their charm or colors for the event. Zee TV stars, though, were there to make up for the filmy people’s absence.
What was the prime reason for this turn out of 6000 plus spectators on this occasion? The kind weather was a big factor but the other reason is the love for the country and more importantly the transition to a new government in a democratic way, says Madhu Patel, founder president of NRI Press Club,
The (FIA) parade was the third and final major event by FIA celebration of India I-Day in Chicago beginning with a community banquet dinner last week and a flag hosting ceremony on Friday. Illinois Governor Pat Quinn joined the parade as Grand Marshal along with eminent Indian American community leaders, celebrity Zee TV Stars Mohit Malik, Neha Marda, Indian Consul General Dr Ausaf Sayeed, Clerk of Cook County Dorothy Brow, Ald Joe Moore, candidate for State Assembly Laddi Singh and all FIA senior trustees.
The crowd on both sides of the street waved to parade marshals and Zee TV stars. Governor Quinn went to waving crowds and exchanged greetings with Indian community members. The Parade was taken out from Western Ave and marched up to the center stage erected near California Ave.
The leaders, VIPs and FIA trustees were led to the stage. FIA senior trustee Iftekhar Shareef and President Keerthi Kumar Ravoori welcomed the Indian American community from the stage. Governor Pat Quinn and Indian Consul General Dr Sayeed spoke from the stage and congratulated the Indian community for the India Independence Day.
Iftekhar Shareef hailed Governor Quinn as the friend of Indian community and called for support for his re-election.
A long line of spectacular and colorful floats by different business houses added to the glory of parade. The moving floats also reflected ethnic and cultural diversity of India. While there was a float of overseas friends of BJP, another marching float was from the Kerala Congress party friends. IADO Ram Gajjella float was for Governor Quinn’s support while Babu Verma’s float showed glimpses of Indian Christians.
The grand FIA led India Independence Day celebration came to an end with a show of entertainment and Mela soon after the Parade. The Grand Mela turned out to be a festival of music, dance and singing in the heart of Devon Ave. Throngs of visitors arrived to enjoy the dances and singing by Chicago’s celebrated dancer/singer Noman Khan and Shailni Saxena who earned a big applause of the crowds.
Zee TV celebrities Mohit Malik [Samrat] and Neha Merda [Urmi] of ‘Doli Armanon Ki’ fame entertained families by posing for pictures, giving autographs and greeting them. The Grand Mela was hosted under the chairmanship of Ajeet Singh with Co-Chairs Minhaj Akhtar and Ankur Choudhari who teamed up with Chicago’s prominent show-biz team Bhavesh Patel and Nick Patel of Sahil & LA Tan. Keerthi Kumar took the opportunity to thank Ali Kazmi, Sales Manager of Emirates Airlines as the Grand Sponsor for the parade and welcomed Emirates to Chicago.
Earlier on August 15, the FIA had flag unfurling ceremony at Daley Plaza which was attended by hundreds and sweets were distributed.
INDIAN CONSULATE EVENTS
The Indian Consulate kept up its years long tradition of having the Flag hoisting ceremony at the Consulate office in Downtown Chicago. CG Dr Ausuf Sayeed greeted the Chicago elites, invitees and Consulate staff and read out Indian President Pranab Mukherjee’s message.
The Consulate in the evening hosted a get together for select invitees and Chicago Indian American community members at Cultural Center in Downtown Chicago where a cake cutting ceremony signifying the birth of Indian nation was conducted with solemnity and pomp. The entertainment program was another highlight of the nearly three-hour program.
A.Q. Siddiqui
