Pooja Hegde shines as Chief Guest at 44th India Day Parade in New York

Actress Pooja Hegde showcased pride after being invited as the Guest of Honour at the India Day Parade in New York, saying the experience of seeing the Indian community come together to celebrate the country was “truly an honour.” The actress shared a slew of images on Instagram, where she is seen holding the Indian flag and waving it as she stood atop a car during the parade. She was also felicitated with a sash that read “Chief Guest.”

“It was truly an honour and a matter of immense pride to be the Guest of Honour at the India Day Parade in New York. There was something incredibly surreal about seeing the streets of New York come alive with so many Indians, proudly celebrating our country and everything that connects us to home,” she wrote as the caption.

The actress added: “Thank you to @federationofindianassociations for the honour and a beautifully organised event along with the officials of New York. To be there, doing this with you all is a privilege I don’t take lightly. Gratitude for this moment that I’ll carry with me for a long time. Jai Hind.”

It was the 44th annual India Day Parade in New York City, which took place along Madison Avenue in Manhattan. Organised by the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), it is celebrated as the largest India Day Parade outside of India. Pooja was joined by actor Adivi Sesh, who also served as a chief guest and grand marshal. The lead actors of “Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah” made their first-ever New York City appearance at the event. Pooja’s latest release is “Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai,” a romantic comedy film directed by David Dhawan. The film also stars Mrunal Thakur, Varun Dhawan, Maniesh Paul, Chunky Panday, Jimmy Sheirgill and Mouni Roy. The film is intended to be David Dhawan’s final directorial film.

Meanwhile, India Day Parade showcased the contributions of the diaspora and the rich tapestry of the nation in this global city. A tribute to the diversity and the unifying force of being the world’s largest democracy, Sunday’s parade’s theme was “Harmony in heritage.” About 200,000 people marched in the parade or jammed the sidewalks, waving the Tiranga along the route of the celebration on Madison Avenue. Governor Kathy Hochul marched at the head of the parade and said she was honoured to “celebrate the rich culture this vibrant community brings to New York.”

“The parade, which has gotten better and bigger every year, proudly shows the contributions of the diaspora not only to New York and the US, but also to the world,” Avinash Gupta, an organiser said.

This year’s parade was special because it marks India’s 80th and the US’s 250th anniversaries of independence from a common coloniser, Britain, sharing a history of anti-colonial struggle, he said. There were 36 floats representing the religious and cultural diversity of India, as well as Indian American businesses, media and NGOs.

Indo-Asian News Service