The Federation of Indian Associations (FIA Since 1980) convened with City of Chicago officials on Friday to finalize preparations for the upcoming India Independence Day Parade on Devon Avenue. The planning session, hosted by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), was held at the 24th District Police Station.

Key attendees included FIA President Hemant Patel, Secretary Dr. Avi Verma, Executive Vice Presidents Amar Upadhyay and Rohit Sharma, along with representatives from Alderwoman Debra Silverstein’s office, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), and multiple city departments.

Final logistics confirmed for the August 24 parade include:

• Deployment of at least 20 uniformed volunteers for crowd control
• Approximately 30 units comprising floats, decorated vehicles, and walking groups
• Vehicle staging on the west side of Western Avenue (Devon to Pratt); no parking allowed in this zone
• No parking on Devon Avenue from Western to California
• Parade route: Starts at Devon & Western (2358 W Devon Ave) and ends at Devon & California (2799 W Devon Ave)
• Stage location: Southwest corner of Devon & Washtenaw; walkways to remain clear
• Stage setup to begin at 8:00 AM; parade kickoff at 11: