Ramesh Soparawala
India Post News Service
CHICAGO: One of the glorious outcomes of the first ever World Hindu Congress (Sept 7 to Sept 9) meet in Chicago was that the Illinois Governor proclaimed September 11 as Swami Vivekananda Day in Illinois
This was a mark of respect to this great cultural ambassador from India who came to this Chicago to attend the first World Parliament of Religions in 1893 held at Chicago Art Institute in Downtown and won the hearts of all those attending the meet with his soulful addressing them as Brothers and Sisters of America.
The Proclamation was presented by an Indian American elected official in Schaumburg Nimish Jani to Swami Vigyanandji during the inaugural session of the World Hindu Congress held at Westin Hotel in Lombard.
The Chicago Art Institute was also a venue for a great address by yet another Indian – this time Indian Vice President of Venkaiah Naidu. The Chicago Art Institute meet by invitation only was organized by Indian Consulate in Chicago and was attended by Chicago elites. Indian Ambassador Navtej Sarna, who flew in from Washington DC, introduced Naidu to the august gathering and also welcomed all the invited guests. This was followed by singing of national anthems of India and USA
Indian VP Naidu also won the hearts of all coming to the meet by addressing them as “Brothers and Sisters” and this salutation he kept on repeating frequently in his nearly an hour long address. To say the least, Naidu ji’s speech was from the heart and above the party line. He underlined the fact that India is on the run – speeding economic progress notching a hefty growth in the past few years and lifting it among the world’s top few economies.
Significantly this is achieved with preserving hard core democratic values and principles and with sizable grassroots participation by the people. He took pains to point out that this fact was corroborated by global institutions like World Bank, IMF and private companies like Moody. India is one of the biggest consumer markets and emphasized that this would pave way for sustained good relations with the US as well.
He underlined another fact that the US and India relations are on a solid footing and that there is inbreeding collaborations between the two in many areas. He urged Indian Diaspora to realize that India is on the march and they could also contribute to its further progress.
He reiterated India’s commitment to preserve secularism and all inclusiveness pointing out that it was India who has been proclaiming VasudhaAiveKutumbakam –that the whole world is a family. Nobody needs to teach us the importance of secularism or all inclusiveness as this is in “our DNA from times immemorial.” He alluded to the fact that India was invaded by many intruders in the past and she has accepted and assimilated all different cultures and thoughts. But India, he stressed again and again, never invaded any country and would not do so in the future.
Naidu ji was cheered many a time during his speech and endeared himself with informal meet and greet after the speech.
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