AIF Celebrates Diaspora Power at 43rd India Day Parade in NYC
New York, NY, August 17, 2025 – The American India Foundation (AIF) was proud to participate in the 43rd India Day Parade in New York City in honor of India’s 79th Independence Day. Hosted by the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), this longstanding parade celebrates India’s history and heritage–and is regarded as the largest India Day Parade globally.
The Parade brings together the Indian diaspora and wider NYC community in a vibrant event celebrating the nation’s rich and diverse culture. AIF’s dazzling float showcased its multidimensional mission and core values of empowerment, social impact, and service. The float brought to life the powerful stories of individuals transformed through its programs like LAMP (Learning and Migration Program), which ensures access to quality education for children of seasonal migrant laborers; MAST (Market Aligned Skills Training Program), which enables marginalized individuals, with a focus on women, to build economic resilience; and MANSI (Maternal and Newborn Survival Initiative), which furthers access to healthcare for mothers, newborns, pregnant women, and adolescent girls across the most remote parts of India.
Over 60 people came together to illustrate AIF’s dynamic community, including board leadership, corporate partners, Banyan Impact Fellows, young professionals, and dedicated staff, each eager to engage with parade-goers and invite them to be part of AIF’s mission to drive sustainable social change. Our packed float was filled with supporters from partners like Goldman Sachs, S&P Global, and Tata Consultancy Services. During the parade, we were honored to be greeted by Amb. Binay S.Pradhan, Consul General of India in NYC, who joined in this annual tradition.
“The India Day Parade is so much more than a celebration of culture–it is a testament to the power of the diaspora,” said Kalpana Kanthan, AIF’s Chief Development & Marketing Officer. “As we prepare to mark 25 years of multilateral partnerships and impact, we are proud to have joined the parade once again, showcasing how collective action across borders continues to drive lasting change.”
As the largest Indian diaspora-led, U.S.-based nonprofit committed to improving the lives of India’s underprivileged, especially women, youth, and children, AIF’s multi-pronged interventions across education, livelihoods, and public health have reached over 21 million lives to date. In addition, AIF has cultivated a vibrant platform for bilateral leadership development in the US-India corridor through its Banyan Impact Fellowship program, nurturing the next generation of changemakers from both countries.
To learn more about AIF and to explore opportunities for engagement, please visit www.aif.org or contact Kalpana Kanthan, Chief Development & Marketing Officer, at Kalpana.Kanthan@aif.org.
