The 74 th Republic Day of India was celebrated in Consulate General of India, New York with
a flag hoisting ceremony on Thursday, January 26 th 2023.
Consul General Randhir Jaiswal unfurled the national flag after which the national anthem
was sung. Consul General then read out the address of the President of India. A short cultural
program of patriotic songs was presented by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, USA. A large number of
members of Indian diaspora and friends of India participated in the celebration. The event was
webcast live through the Consulate’s social media platforms.
In the evening, Consul General hosted a reception which was attended by prominent
members of the diaspora, elected officials, members of the diplomatic corps, friends from media
and people from different walks of life. The leading lights of Indian diaspora graced the occasion,
including Prof. S. R. Srinivasa Varadhan, the recipient of Padma Vibhushan this year – the second
highest civilian award. State Senator Kevin Thomas, Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, Deputy
Permanent Representative of India to the UN Ambassador R. Ravindra, Consuls General of Japan,
Bangladesh, Mexico, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, Peru, Malaysia and Germany, besides diplomats
from several other Consulates participated in the reception. More than 150 guests graced the
occasion.
The evening function began with singing of Indian and US national anthem by Master
Ishaan Tangirala, a young talented singer of Indian origin from New Jersey. Consul General
welcomed the guests and thanked everyone for their participation. He underlined the growing
partnership between India and the US, the oldest and the largest democracies in the world and
the key role of diaspora in strengthening these ties. Congratulatory video messages from
Congresswoman Susan Wild and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick was played, followed by reading
out of a citation from Congressman Michael Lawler. State Senator Kevin Thomas and
Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar delivered remarks conveying their greetings on the 74 th
Republic Day of India. This was followed by a video on the Consulate’s activities. Later, Grammy
Award winning singer Falguni Shah delivered a enthralling performance of patriotic songs.
Guests were then invited for an Indian dinner where they were treated to a wide variety of
regional cuisines. A special attraction on the menu was cuisines of millets from different parts of
India, in celebration of International Year of Millets – 2023.
The event had a distinct flavor of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav – the celebration of 75 years of India’s
independence. Enthusiastic participation from the diaspora ensured Jan Bhagidari – or people’s
participation in the celebration of 74 th Republic Day.
