Shouting slogans like 'Narendra Modi Zindabaad', 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Welcome Modi', Indian-Americans started arriving at the venue since early in the morning. People were seen waiting in long queues.
By 9 p.M. A large number of people were dressed in Modi T-shirt with portrait of Modi on it. Many were holding banners and slogans like 'America Loves Modi'.
Some 20,000 people packed the Madison Square Garden for the largest event of its kind for the Indian-American community organised by the recently formed Indian-American Community Foundation (IACF), and supported by more than 400 Indian-American organizers from across the country.
"We have a lot of expectations from him," she said.
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More than 200 media, a significantly large number of them from India, had registered for the event; which organisers said is unprecedented for an Indian American event.
"He is the first Prime Minister who is connected to the NRI (non-resident Indian community). That's why you see such a large number of people. We filled up the seats in just two weeks. It has never happened in the history of the Madison Square Garden that seats gets filled up some three weeks before the event," said Anil Sharma, one of the volunteers of the event.
"It's Modi Mania," said Ankit Patel. "It's a life time event," he said.
In fact the event attracted some three dozen Congressmen including several power lawmakers like Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, and Congressman Ami Bera.
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal were also present. A huge contingent of Indian-American corporate leaders and IT professionals came in from the Silicon Valley for the mega event.