Ike Leggett, Heritage’s Curtis among guests.
COLLEGE PARK, MD: The National Council of Asian Indian Associations celebrated India’s 68th Independence Day with a banquet dinner here on Saturday. Montgomery County Chief Executive Ike Leggett was the chief guest, while Heritage Foundation scholar Lisa Curtis delivered the keynote address.
Community affairs minister at the Embassy of India N.K. Mishra also spoke at the event, which was attended by dozens of Indian American community members and a number of NCAIA leaders.
Leggett, who will be leading a county delegation to India in November, was fulsome in his praise of the community. “I am here because of what you do for our community, for our state and for our nation,†he said. “We are a better country, a better state and a better county because of you. Your contributions in education, in all sectors of professions really enlightens, informs and uplifts our community.â€
Mishra also praised the community’s contributions in strengthening India-US relations. “[The Indian diaspora] in the United States has immensely contributed to the strength of the host country, and therefore, has proved themselves as ambassadors of the rich Indian culture and values,†he said.
In her keynote address, Curtis said the United States and India need each other to cope with local challenges in India’s neighborhood, including counter-terrorism and maintaining a stable balance of power in the Asia Pacific.
“India certainly has a lot to manage—a bouncing act of seeking to expand economic opportunity for all its citizens while also projecting strength outside of its borders and managing tensions with Pakistan on the one side and China on the other,†she said. “The BJP’s assumption of power offers an opportunity to reinvograte US-India ties and to work together for mutual benefit of each other in areas such as defense, trade, counter-terrorism and other security issues.â€
Dr. Rajan Anand, an Indian American community leader, was presented with NCAIA’s Lifetime Achievement Award by Leggett.
Pavan Bezwada was the master of ceremonies at the event. NCAIA president Dr. Suresh Gupta delivered the welcome remarks.
Other speakers included Satish Gupta, Sunil Singh, Sambhu Banik, Harswarup Singh and Dr. Parthasarathy Pillai.