The Indian community in the US celebrated India's 69th Independence Day with fervour by unfurling the national flag and organising cultural events to mark the occasion.
India's Ambassador to the US Arun K Singh read out President Pranab Mukharjee's national address and hoisted the tri-colour at a function at his residence here.
Singh said as the defining partnership of the 21st century in the world, India and the US are enhancing their ties not only at the bilateral level, but also at the regional and global levels.
"With the historic visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2014 and President Barack Obama in January, the leaders of both countries have given a great impetus to the momentum of this relationship," he said.
"Our bilateral trade and investment, which are reaching new heights, are encouraging us to aspire for higher goals. Our cooperation has deepened in the established sectors while new fields are continuously added to widen our relationship. People-to-people contact is one of the strongest pillars of this growing relationship," the Ambassador said.
The flag-hoisting ceremonies at various places were attended by a cross-section of the local Indian community, diplomats and government officials.
In Houston, Consul General P Harish unfurled the national flag at his residence, while the Indian Consul General in San Francisco hoisted the tri-colour at the historic Gadar Memorial, which was thronged by Indians.
Consul General in Chicago, Dr Ausaf Sayeed, hoisted the flag and Consul General Nagesh Singh unfurled the tri-colour in Atlanta.
Consul General in New York, Dnyaneshwar M Mulay, hosted the Independence Day celebrations where diplomats from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan along with the community leaders were in attendance.
Mulay in his address urged the Indian community to form "India-centric think tank" to propagate the country to the global community in a bigger way.
The tricolour was hoised at India's Consulate General and its Permanent Mission to the UN in the presence of hundreds of diplomatic officials and members of the Indian-American community.
Permanent Representative of India to UN Ambassador Asoke Mukerji hoisted the national flag at the mission premises and readout excerpts from President Pranab Mukerjee's address to the nation.
The brief ceremony at the mission was attended by over 150 guests including senior Indian officials of the United Nations, Indian Army and Police officers on deputation to the UN.
Under Secretary Generals of the UN Vijay Nambiar and head of the UN Department of Field Support Atul Khare were also present.
