New York: Bollywood actresses Shilpa Shetty wowed fans of Indian cinema at what was touted as one of the largest India Day Parades and Festivals on Sunday here. Shetty performed the role of Grand Marshal of the parade. It was an event packed with jaw dropping performances, incredible food, and all that is famous about Indian culture. The parade, which has showcased India's culture on Manhattan 's Madison Avenue since 1981, saw the participation ofindustrialist Vijay Mallya as the chief guest. The Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), an umbrella group of cultural, educational and community organisations in the New York tri-state region, organized the parade. Its president Yash Paul Soi had earlier flagged off the event at the Indian consulate in New York on June 10. The parade began on 41st Street, wound down Madison Avenue and culminated in a variety show on 23rd Street, drawing an estimated 50,000 people.

      Last year, Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra was the grand marshal at the event, which celebrated India's 61st anniversary of independence. In the past, actors and actresses Govinda, Madhuri Dixit, Dev Anand, astronaut Sunita Williams and music conductor Zubin Mehta marched with the

A view of the 29th India Day parade held in Manhattan in New York last Sunday.

crowd. This year's guest list included New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, New Jersey governor John Corzine, New York Governor David Paterson, and President Bharrat Jagdeo of the Republic of Guyana . The organisers also paid homage to the martyrs of the first struggle for the independence of India in 1857. The FIA has already announced plans to campaign for two statutes of Mahatma Gandhi -- one on Ellis Island and the second inside the campus of the United Nations. The process for fund raising for these two projects has already begun. The FIA has also said that it campaign to get Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary (October 2) celebrated in public schools in the New York region. The event, which is the 29th annual India Day Parade, also saw the particiupation of beautiful newcomer actress Reshma Shetty from USA's Network new original series "Royal Pains" as well as the dance group Broad Street Baadshahz.
-August 17, 2009