Assembly Resolution No. 2304
BY: M. of A. Rules (Rajkumar)
MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim
August 15, 2024, as Indian Independence Day in the
State of New York
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
pay just tribute to the cultural heritage of the ethnic groups which
comprise and contribute to the richness and diversity of the community
of the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in keeping with its
time-honored traditions, it is the intent of this Legislative Body to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim August 15, 2024, as Indian
Independence Day in the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, The Republic of India is a trusted ally of this great State
and Nation, sharing our values of democracy, pluralism, freedom,
innovation, and entrepreneurship; and
WHEREAS, August 15 is a national holiday in India, commemorating the
day in 1947 when the United Kingdom ceded sovereignty to the Indian
Constituent Assembly, ending centuries of British rule; and
WHEREAS, The transfer of sovereignty was the culmination of a
decades-long Indian Independence movement, a predominantly non-violent
movement of protest and civil disobedience, with Mahatma Gandhi as one
of its most famed leaders; and
WHEREAS, The Indian Independence movement had a profound impact
around the world, impressing its principles on numerous other
decolonization efforts and political movements, including the American
civil rights movement; and
WHEREAS, New York City has a deep history of celebrating Indian
Independence, hosting the annual India Day Parade, the largest Indian
Independence Day parade in the world, which regularly attracts hundreds
of thousands of attendees; and
WHEREAS, Traditions to celebrate Indian Independence Day continue to
grow in New York City, with an annual unfurling of the tricolor flag in
Times Square beginning in 2020, as well as multiple iconic buildings
being lit in the colors of the flag; and
WHEREAS, India has deep economic ties with this great State, with
numerous businesses from each having offices in the other, and Empire
State Development having a Global New York Foreign Office in India; and
WHEREAS, The United States is home to the largest Indian diaspora
population in the world, composed of ethnically, culturally,
linguistically, and spiritually diverse people; and
WHEREAS, Indian Americans have made immeasurable contributions to
the arts, the STEM fields, business, philanthropy, academics, defense,
sports, religion, and all levels of government; and
WHEREAS, New York City's Indian American community is one of the
largest in the Western Hemisphere, with an overwhelming majority living
in Queens, where Indian Americans have thrived, possessing higher
overall incomes and educational attainment; and
WHEREAS, A critical milestone in the history of Indian Americans
occurred in our great State, when New York City resident Bhicaji Balsara
successfully litigated to become the first known naturalized citizen
from India; and
WHEREAS, Queens boasts its own milestone in Indian American
relations, being the destination of the first commercial flight from
India to the United States, when Air India operated a flight from Mumbai
to what is now John F. Kennedy International Airport in 1960; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is pleased to have this opportunity
to recognize such events of significance which foster ethnic pride and
exemplify the cultural diversity that represents and strengthens the
fabric of the people and the State York; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim August 15, 2024, as Indian
Independence Day in the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New
York; the Consul General of India, and various Indian organizations in
the State of New York.
