CHICAGO — The Federation of Indian Associations hosted a gala celebrating India’s 77th Republic Day on Jan. 25 at the Matrix Club in the Chicago suburbs, drawing elected officials, community leaders and members of the Indian American community.
The event marked one of the organization’s largest Republic Day celebrations in recent years and featured cultural performances, remarks from public officials and the presentation of student scholarships.
FIA Founder President and Chairman Sunil Shah addressed attendees, noting the organization’s continued growth and recent adoption of a dual-presidency leadership structure. FIA is currently led by Presidents Altaf Bukhari and Richa Chand.
Bukhari thanked guests and dignitaries for their participation and acknowledged volunteers and board members for their work in organizing the event. Chand spoke about the significance of Republic Day and emphasized civic engagement and community service, particularly among younger generations.
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Among the dignitaries in attendance were Somnath Ghosh from the Consulate General of India in Chicago, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Illinois State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison, Schaumburg Mayor Tom Dailly and Hanover Park Mayor Rodney Craig. Several FIA board members who are candidates for public office were also present.
Actor and singer Padmini Kolhapure was a special guest at the event.
The program included performances of the Indian and American national anthems, vocal and dance presentations by local artists and cultural groups, and patriotic-themed performances by Shirlzar Dance Academy and Classical Odyssey.
As part of its educational initiatives, FIA announced and distributed scholarship awards to students in the United States and India. U.S. recipients included Ashritha Kukunooru, Pari Jain, Sandeep Pant, Aarush Parikh and Anika Menta. A scholarship was also awarded to Khushi Makwana of India.
During the evening, Dr. Vijay Prabhakar, chairman of Global Eye Magazine, recognized Shah for his leadership and presented Anu Malhotra, FIA’s immediate past president, with the Global Eye Ratna Samman Award for her service during 2025.
The event was supported by FIA board members, advisory council members and volunteers, with multiple committees overseeing programming, logistics, media, stage management and registration. Numerous local businesses and organizations served as sponsors and media partners.
The formal program concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by FIA secretaries Kamlesh Kapoor and Anshul Bindal. The evening ended with music and community networking.
FIA is an umbrella organization representing Indian American associations across the Midwest and regularly hosts cultural, civic and educational programs throughout the year.