By: Dr. Avi Verma

The story of India’s Independence Day celebrations in the United States is, in many ways, the story of the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) of Chicago. Since the early 1980s, FIA Chicago has set the tone for how the Indian diaspora honors Bharat, not with glitter, glamour, or celebrity showmanship, but with Tiranga rallies, patriotic parades, and the unifying message of Desh Bhakti.

From the first parades in downtown Chicago to the now-legendary Tiranga Rally, FIA established a proud tradition: one country, one voice, one theme, patriotism. Year after year, the Executive Team worked tirelessly to ensure that Independence Day focused on India’s heroes and ideals, not Bollywood, movie stars, or spectacle.

This year, the impact of that vision was felt across America. From Chicago to New York, from California to Texas, Indian communities celebrated the tricolor, India’s achievements, and the strength of the diaspora. For decades, many parades nationwide relied on Bollywood celebrities to draw crowds. While stars brought temporary excitement, they often overshadowed the meaning of August 15. Chicago stood apart. FIA never compromised its patriotic theme, and today that example has become a blueprint for others.

In New York this year, the parade honored India’s space triumphs, the consecration of the Ram Mandir, and India’s growing global influence. Families marched proudly under the Tiranga, children carried signs celebrating Indian scientists and soldiers, and slogans of Vande Mataram echoed without celebrity endorsements. Chicago’s FIA parade once again carried the torch it first lit more than forty years ago, proving that patriotism endures longer than stardom.

The shift is profound and long overdue. Bollywood has been a beloved cultural export, but scandals involving drugs, mafia links, and corruption make it a poor ambassador for India’s values. The diaspora has matured. Parents now want children to look up not to celebrities but to the heroes who built and defended India: freedom fighters, scientists, soldiers, and community leaders.

That turning point began in Chicago. FIA’s insistence on patriotism-first celebrations gave the diaspora something Bollywood could not: dignity, unity, and pride. While other cities followed the easier path of star-studded spectacles, FIA Chicago chose the harder but nobler road of rallying around the Tiranga. In doing so, it preserved the true essence of Independence Day as a day of remembrance and resolve.

What we are witnessing is not just the evolution of parades but the evolution of the diaspora itself. Communities nationwide are reclaiming their identity as custodians of India’s legacy, choosing to celebrate freedom with integrity rather than spectacle, with substance rather than show.

At IndoUS Tribune, we believe this is a milestone worth celebrating. Patriotism does not mean rejecting art or cinema. It means placing Bharat above all. On this Independence Day, as Tirangas waved proudly from Chicago to New York, the message rang clear: the diaspora has chosen its priorities. Bollywood may continue to entertain, but it was FIA Chicago that gave us something far greater: the power to celebrate our freedom with integrity. That is FIA’s Tiranga legacy, and it is now a national movement.