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FIIDS hosts celebration of democracies in Chicago
The event featured a distinguished panel of speakers. Notable speakers included Somnath Gosh, Consul General of India, and Dr. Bharat Barai, a prominent community leader.
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Chicago Bureau - Sat, 15, Aug 2026
- 13:00 EDT
- 46
Celebration of Democracies: USA at 250 & India’s Independence Day / FIIDS
The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) commemorated both American and Indian independence by organizing an event titled “Celebration of Democracies: USA at 250 & India’s Independence Day.”
FIIDS invited community leaders, members, and youth from the Indian diaspora in the Chicagoland area to convene at the Schaumburg Library for the event.
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The event featured a distinguished panel of speakers. Notable speakers included Somnath Gosh, Consul General of India, and Dr. Bharat Barai, a prominent community leader.
Barai commenced the program by outlining the history of Indian immigration to the United States and the evolving bilateral relationship. He emphasized the significant contributions of the immigrant community to national growth while also highlighting unnecessary barriers that restrict merit-based immigration to the United States.
In his address, CG Ghosh discussed the vibrant Indian community residing throughout the Midwest. He had recently returned from a visit to Michigan, where he recalled meeting numerous individuals and reflected on the strong presence of the Indian diaspora.
He highlighted the substantial contributions of the Indian diaspora to the United States. Indian Americans own approximately 60 percent of hotels and motels nationwide, and each enterprise contributes to job creation and the stimulation of local economies. Additionally, Indian Americans also have a significant impact in the medical field, with many physicians serving communities including those in the most rural regions of the country. Physicians of Indian descent constitute approximately 10 percent of the national medical workforce.
Additional speakers included Khanderao Kand, chief policy director at FIIDS; Bhavini Patel, trustee for the Village of Bolingbrook; and Sonia Desai Bhagwakar, trustee for the Village of Glen Ellyn. The event also welcomed leaders such as Rakesh Malhotra from the Global Indian Diaspora Foundation, Narendra Kale from Kale Logistic, Devesh Pandit, Morton Grove Commissioner, Vaidya Deepti Suri from Easy Ayurveda, Bhavini Patel, Democratic Primary Contender from PA-12, Neil Khot, Democratic Primary Contender from IL-8, as well as volunteers from Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh and Harisumiran Temple.
Khanderao Kand directed the discussion toward future initiatives and the policy efforts required to sustain ongoing progress. He explained that FIIDS is a bipartisan think tank dedicated to research on issues affecting the Indian American community. FIIDS represents the interests of more than 5.1 million Indian Americans residing in the United States on policy and advocacy matters.
He also addressed the significance of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) as an alternative trade route for the United States. This corridor provides a means to circumvent the challenges associated with the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. In addition to policy topics such as IMEC,
Kand discussed direct engagement efforts during Advocacy Day, which took place on Capitol Hill on June 23.
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