On the 75th anniversary of India’s independence, an organisation representing the Indian diaspora in the United States has announced that it will hoist the largest tricolour at New York’s iconic Times Square on August 15. According to the Federation of Indian Associations, the consul general of India in New York, Randhir Jaiswal, will unfurl the 6 feet by 10 feet tricolour on a 25 foot pole (FIA).
The tricolour will be unfurled in Times Square as part of the FIA’s day-long celebrations on August 15, according to the organisation. The Empire State Building will be lit in the colours of the Indian tricolour, and the day will conclude with a gala cruise on the Hudson River, which will be attended by top government officials, special guests, and members of the Indian American community. For 24 hours, an Independence Day message will be broadcast on Times Square’s largest Jumbotron.
Anil Bansal, the current president of the FIA, stated that the organisation will also raise the tricolour at the Rhode Island State Capitol. Last year, on India’s independence day, the FIA hoisted the tricolour in Times Square for the first time, marking the first time the Indian national flag was unfurled at the iconic New York City destination.
The organisation’s chairperson Ankur Vaidya said they want to hoist the tricolour at Times Square every year. “We want to continue this tradition. This year, we are hoisting the biggest tricolour unfurled at Times Square so far,” Vaidya told news agency PTI.
The event will honour Indian American sporting icons Abhimanyu Mishra, the youngest Grandmaster in chess history at the age of 12, and 17-year-old Samir Banerjee, according to the news agency. Last month, Banerjee made history by winning the Wimbledon boys’ singles final. New Jersey natives Mishra and Banerjee are expected to attend the event on Sunday.
