EDISON, New Jersey: The annual general body meeting of the Federation of Indian Associations (Tri-State) was held on December 17 at TV Asia Auditorium, Edison, New Jersey. The agenda included the overall performance and activities of FIA during the year 2019 including various reporting as well as to announce the election results and elect the new executive committee for the year 2020.
Alok Kumar, 2019 president of the FIA (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut), along with his executive committee commended the support he was bestowed by the committee, sponsors, and supporters to make 2019 a remarkable year for FIA, a press release stated.
Kumar announced the 28-community focused and community assisting programs and events held under his presidency and how it had an impact as much on him as it did for the community. Kumar also thanked Bihar Jharkhand Association of North America (BJANA), which played a pivotal role in strengthening his resolve to deliver a stellar year for FIA and for the community.
Kumar welcomed president-elect Anil Bansal who will take oath in the upcoming Republic day festivities AKA Dance Pe Chance which FIA is set to hold on January 25, 2020. The colorful event is a cultural dance competition held annually for the past 36 years that provides a platform for the new generation of Americans of Indian origin to showcase their cultural talent. The event has seen the participation of approximately 18,000 children over the three decades. The upcoming event will be held a bigger venue – the War Memorial Theater in Trenton, New Jersey.
FIA’s election committee comprising election chair Jayesh Patel along with trustees Dipak Patel and Yash Paul Soi collectively announced the election results For FIA NY NJ CT for the fiscal year 2020. Anil Bansal- has been elected as president, Himanshu Bhatia as executive vice president, Saurin Parikh as vice president, Praveen Bansal as general secretary, Mardavi Patel as joint secretary and Amit Ringasia as treasurer. Immediate past president Alok Kumar will continue to be part of the executive team.
Incoming president Anil Bansal, a founder and executive chairman of Indus American Bank, is an active and distinguished community leader. He is an active philanthropist through his Bansal Charitable Foundation which provides financial support to a multitude of non-profits in the USA and a very successful entrepreneur with real estate holdings across the USA. Bansal also holds a significant portfolio of investments in the IT industry including having had investments in the F&B and hospitality industry.
Bansal has been an integral part of the diaspora and FIA serving in various roles and after a two-year hiatus to spend time with his grandchildren, has now returned to serve the community again by holding the top spot in the soon to be 50 years old FIA. Bansal, a graduate from IIT Kanpur, India, holds multiple residences with his primary residence being in New Jersey.
Bansal in his role as the FIA president will be supported by his wife Kumud and two married and well-settled children. Bansal expressed his gratitude and assured the crowd in attendance that FIA will span uncharted altitudes with the milestone year under his leadership and will include a jamboree of festivities while continuing the active role of service to the diaspora.
