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Deepika Padukone leads I-Day parade in NY

By a Correspondent

New York: A warm, sunny day set the mood for the annual India Day parade hosted by the Federation of Indian Associations on Madison Avenue in New York.
The August 17 parade celebrated India’s 62nd Independence Day, in the company of celebrities, politicians and top citizens. It was led by Bollywood sensation Deepika Padukone, Kingfisher Airlines chairman Vijay Mallya and FIA president Yashpal Soi.
Waving the Indian tri-color and marching to the chants of Vande Mataram across the streets of Manhattan, the marchers displayed a brand of patriotism that projected strong ties between the United States and India. “God Bless India” and “God Bless America” were the constant refrain of the crowd at the parade.
The parade, showcasing Indian cultural heritage and fast expanding economy, also fascinated dozens of tourists from several nations visiting the United States.
Considered the largest parade outside India celebrating Indian independence, the organizers left no stone unturned to make it a success. The crowd attendance was estimated at 50,000 people. Curious onlookers, many of them Americans, lined up on the streets along the parade route, snapping photographs of colorful floats and the jamboree that followed.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was conspicuous by absence, so were many other American politicians from New York. The Mayor sent a welcome message through an emissary. The Indian contingent comprised lawmakers from India, stars from Bollywood, besides hundreds of community leaders led by Soi.
Flanked by bodyguards, Padukone, the parade’s grand marshal, led the parade for the first few blocks and was then stationed on the review stand near 28thstreet.
The parade began at about 1.30 p.m., and the frontline that started moving from 41st and Madison Avenue and was followed by 36 floats, several of them representing Indian states and culture, and about 26 groups that performed various dance forms of India moved in between the floats.
Several thousand people participated in the food mela and cultural event hosted near Madison Square Park after the parade. The procession culminated in a cultural show where 89-year-old Manna Dey, a popular Indian playback singer of yesteryears, recited some of his renderings.
President George Bush’s protocol secretary Raymond Martinez attended on behalf of the US government. Raymond Martinez conveyed the good wishes of President Bush, first lady Laura Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and highlighted the growing cooperation between India and the US in several fields, from economy to military to that in combating terrorism.
He spoke of the role that the two major democracies could play in “these times of political difficulties around the world,” while lauding the contribution of the 2.5-million-strong Indian American community to the economy of the US.
Private bodies ranging from companies to spiritual organizations sponsored the 36 floats and 26 groups participating in the parade. While disseminating their own messages, they also played patriotic songs as well as popular movie songs.
Several other groups that participated included, Bengali, Marathi and Sikh associations; the Dalit group; the Overseas Friends of BJP; spiritual groups like BAPS, the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Secaucus, Asha Ram Bapu and the Brahma Kumaris.
Smaller groups, who could not participate in the parade, distributed fliers about their activities.