Zohran Mamdani first Indian American mayor at India Day Parade

New York City's first Indian American mayor, Zohran Mamdani, attended the Queens India Day Parade in Floral Park on Saturday, describing it as an experience he will never forget. In a post on X, he said the event brought together Hindus, Christians, Muslims, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs from the Indian diaspora, reflecting the city's diverse mosaic.

In neighbouring New Jersey, more than 1,300 US flags were arranged to form the number 250 at Veterans Memorial Park in Parsippany, setting a Guinness World Record for the Largest Flagpole Number. The event, organised by the Consulate General of India in New York and the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), marked India's 80th Independence Day alongside the 250th anniversary of the United States.

The Indian Consulate in New York and India's Permanent Mission to the UN also held flag-hoisting ceremonies. The tricolour was unfurled at Times Square during an FIA celebration with cultural performances. Several US states issued proclamations recognising August 15 as India Day, and landmarks including the Empire State Building and Niagara Falls were illuminated in Indian flag colours.