(UTV | INDIA) – Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) the leading diaspora organization in the US has said that it has set two Guinness World records for the most number of different flags flown simultaneously and the largest ensemble of ancient musical instrument Damru as it celebrated ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, 75 glorious years of Indian Independence on 15th and 21st August this year.
More than 1500 volunteers had registered for the record on the FIA website. The organization said in a statement on Sunday that it had attempted the records to commemorate the completion of 75 years of Indian Independence which was earmarked as ”Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
FIA’s team of 180 volunteers worked round the clock to prepare for the various events to be held on August 15th and August 21st to celebrate “the motherland and the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ marking the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence.”
A 220 ft-long majestic ‘Khadi’ Indian tricolor was flown over the Hudson river here and pan India mega star Allu Arjun along with the New York City Mayor in the presence of host of other dignitaries and celebrities led the annual India Day Parade on Sunday along Madison Avenue as part of the grand celebrations hosted by FIA to celebrate ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
The FIA’s India Day parade is considered the largest parade outside India to mark the country’s independence and brings together thousands of members of the diaspora for one of the biggest cultural extravaganzas in the US.
The India Day Parade runs through several streets of Madison Avenue in the heart of Manhattan, featuring tableaux by various Indian-American organizations, marching bands, police contingents and cultural performances by young Indian American children.
FIA President Kenny Desai said that “they salute the vision and efforts of the Indian PM and FIA in its own way tried to its bit by attempting the records and making our motherland shine in our homeland.”
Ankur Vaidya, Chairman, FIA said that these records are dedicated to the global community, saying without the support of the global diaspora this feat would not have been possible.
“The endeavour required massive efforts and the whole team of FIA volunteers worked hard for the past few months especially since the logistics were a big challenge in itself,” said FIA Secretary and Event Chair Pravin Bansal.
Every year, thousands of people from the Indian diaspora converge in the heart of Manhattan in their traditional finery to celebrate India’s Independence Day. The day long celebration includes special food stalls, cultural extravaganza and floats by various organizations based in the US.
