India Day Fair Celebrates successes of Indian-Australian Community and Multiculturalism

4th India Day Fair on 11 August 2018 at Parramatta Park was a grand success with approximately 20,000 people attending the Fair throughout the day. It started at 12 midday and finished at 8.15pm with a spectacular firework show.

Political leaders right from Gladys Berejiklian MP (The Premier of New South Wales), Ray Williams MP (Minister for Multiculturalism), Luke Foley MP (leader of Opposition), Jodi Mckay MP (Shadow minister for Roads), Michelle Rowland MP (Federal Shadow minister for communications), Julia Finn MP (Granville), Julie Owens MP (Federal MP for Parramatta and Shadow Assistant Minister), Jihad Dib MP (Lakemba, and NSW Shadow Minister for Education), Scott Farlow MLC (NSW Parliamentary Secretary), David Clarke MLC (NSW Parliamentary Secretary), Damien Tudehope MP (Epping), Geoff Lee MP (State member for Parramatta and Parliamentary Secretary), Mark Taylor MP (Seven Hills), Mr B. Vanlalvawna (Consul General of India in Sydney) and many others including Andrew Wilson (Lord Mayor of City of Parramatta Council) and Dr Harry Harinath (Chair of Multicultural NSW), as well as many Councillors including Clr Suman Saha, Clr Lisa Lake and Clr Bill Tyrrell attended the INDIA DAY Fair.

The cultural program was supervised by talented Kumar Madappa and was superb and multicultural, with not only Indian cultural performances, but also performances from non-Indian multicultural communities. The visiting Indian singer from Punjab, Mr. Surinder Laddi, performed live right at the event, entertaining and vowing the crowd. There was a thunderous shouting of the slogans like Jai Hind, Vande Mataram, Hindustan Zindabaad and Australia Zindabaad, moments before the spectacular firework at 8.15PM. Federation of Indian Associations of New South Wales, an umbrella organization of multiple Indian Australian Community Associations, has been organizing India Day Fair annually since 2015 with huge crowds attending them. India Day Fair celebrates India, Indian Independence Day, Indian heritage, successes of Indian Australian community and multiculturalism in Australia. This Fair has become an iconic event in the multicultural events diary in Sydney. It received, as before, an enthusiastic support from media including Indian media in Australia and Australian media. In addition, it had an active campaign in social media. The venue of event was at the Parramatta Park, which is situated right in the heart of Western Sydney in Parramatta, which has a significant number of people from Indian Australian community with approximately 15% plus residents from this community living in this geographical area.

Mr Minaal Sinha from the Education Centre of Australia (ECA) announced during the India Day Fair that they will establish a fund of $10,000, which will help needy and meritorious students of Indian background, who are enrolled with ECA. Details of this will be outlined soon.

“Federation of Indian Associations of New South Wales (FIAN) has an effective, productive, capable and networked team, which believes in selfless service and real outcomes for our community,” Dr. Yadu Singh said.

Key members of FIAN are Dr. Yadu Singh (President), Dr. Naveen Shukla (Secretary), Mr. Kumar Madappa (Vice President), Baljit Khare (Treasurer), Surinder Bhogal (Jt secretary), Navneet Verma (Jt treasurer), Vipul Goyal (Committee member), Neeraj Yadav (Committee member), Vithal Maddala (Committee member), and Dhruv Jolly (Committee member), along with member associations. FIAN will organize Diwali Fair in a couple of months’ time in a grand manner, with no ticket for the attendees, just like there has never been tickets for attendees in India Day Fairs since 2015. FIAN team believes that the prominent festivals and celebrations of Indian culture and heritage should not incur a fee for the attendees in such events.

For further information contact: Dr. Yadu Singh (0413 375 669) and/or Dr. Naveen Shukla (0425558399) or visit: www.fian.org.au