Members of the Chicago-area Indian-American community gathered at the Schaumburg Township District Library in Illinois, to celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years in public office and executive leadership.
Organized by members of the Indian-American community, including the US-India Community Foundation (USICF), the celebration titled “Transforming India and Building Viksit Bharat” was held in the library’s Rasmussen Conference Room.
The milestone traces Modi’s public leadership to Oct. 7, 2001, when he took office as chief minister of Gujarat, and includes his service as India’s prime minister since 2014. Speakers reflected on the influence of leadership and public service, and the role of governance in shaping the lives of millions and advancing national progress.
Amar Upadhyay, Chicago coordinator of the Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP), opened the program with welcome remarks. Ramaa Iyer followed with a rendition of “Vande Mataram.”
Keynote speakers Dr. Bharat Barai and Dr. Santosh Kumar reflected on Modi’s leadership and record in public life. Barai, an oncologist and community leader, spoke about his early association with Modi through the Bharatiya Janata Party and shared anecdotes about his leadership style. Barai was recognized for four decades of service organizing large-scale Indian-American diaspora events across the United States.
Kumar discussed several of Modi’s achievements and raised questions about the future of leadership in India.
Rakesh Malhotra of the Global Indian Diaspora Foundation presented slides on key initiatives of the Modi government, including the vision of making India a developed nation—“Viksit Bharat”—by 2047, the centenary of India’s independence.
Speakers also discussed development, transparency, cultural pride and the importance of purposeful governance and dedicated public service.
A panel featuring Krishna Bansal, Sanjay Patel and Upadhyay discussed Modi’s contributions to culture, trade, politics and diaspora engagement. Journalist Avatans Kumar moderated the discussion. Abhinav Raina of the Global Indian Diaspora Foundation also spoke about what he described as a Kashmiri “renaissance” following the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
The discussions also addressed the “U.S.–India Strategic Partnership for Building a Prosperous Future” and the Indian-American community’s role in strengthening ties between the two countries and amplifying India’s global presence.
The evening concluded with musical tributes, cultural performances and a ceremonial cake-cutting.