Enthusiasm marks I-Day celebrations among Indian-Americans

New York, Aug 16 (UNI) Indian-Americans here celebrated their 60th Independence Day yesterday with zeal. The city is home to about 2,00,000 people of Indian origin.

The Consulate General of India Neelam Deo organised a function, which was attended by community leaders, government officials and members of the Indian-American community.

Consulate General read out in English and Hindi excerpts of the speech of President A P J Abdul Kalam delivered on the eve of Independence Day.

Deputy Consulate General A R Ghanashyam reminded the audience that Indians based in the United States had fought for India's independece in the early part of the 20th century under the Gadar party flag.

A massive I-Day parade is scheduled for August 20, here, in which thousands of Indian-Americans will participate. Amisha Patel, Poonam Dhillon and Kapil Dev will lead the parade, considered the largest outside India.

The following day, there will be a banquet at Royal Albert's Palace, a sprawling restaurant and function venue, in New Jersey.

Shashi Kapoor, Mohammed Azharuddin and Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois will lead the parade in Chicago on August 19.

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