Rep. Shri Thanedar cutting the cake at the ceremony / Courtesy photo

The cake had to be large enough for the moment.

It weighed 250 pounds and was decorated like the American flag, with blue icing, white stars and sweeping rows of red and white. On one side were images of the Statue of Liberty and the US Capitol. Written across it was a message that captured the immigrant experience: “A land of opportunity for immigrants.”

The cake became the centrepiece of an Indian American celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence in Tysons Corner, Virginia, on July 15.

More than 200 business leaders, entrepreneurs, public officials, veterans, young people and families attended the event organised by the Indian American Business Impact Group, or IAMBIG.

Former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe joined US Representatives Suhas Subramanyam and Shri Thanedar, as well as former Ohio state senator Niraj Antani. Their presence gave the gathering the feel of both a community celebration and a civic statement.

Indian American community at the event. / Courtesy photo

For Ravi Puli, an IAMBIG co-founder and the driving force behind the event, the oversized cake was more than a visual attraction. It was his way of expressing gratitude towards the country where he had built his life.

“This country has given a new perspective to our life, to my life, especially,” Puli told India Abroad. “I’m a first generation graduate, entrepreneur, and immigrant. I never thought I would be so successful in this country.”

Puli arrived in the United States in 1997. He recalled borrowing a few hundred dollars from a friend in Delhi before making the journey.

“When I was coming, I was very scared,” he said. “But this everybody said land of opportunity.”

Nearly three decades later, he wanted IAMBIG’s celebration to reflect the scale of that opportunity and the affection many first-generation Indian Americans feel for their adopted country.

“So I have immense respect, for this country for creating such a you know ecosystem here, which enabled me to you know really be very successful,” Puli said. “Then I wanted to see what is that special we can do? How do we express our love, right?”

His answer was the 250-pound cake.

A secret until the final day

Puli approached one of IAMBIG’s caterers with the idea. The caterer had never attempted anything of that size, but agreed to sponsor and produce it.

“I came up with the idea of 250 pounds cake,” Puli said. “Then I reached out to one of our caterers, and then he immediately jumped and said that I want to sponsor this.”

Puli asked whether the caterer had ever made such a large cake.

“He said, ‘I never did it. This is also my lifetime experience,’” Puli recalled.

The plan was kept almost entirely confidential. Even many IAMBIG members did not know what was coming until a day before the programme.

The completed cake occupied a long table at the front of the hall. Public officials, organisers and members crowded around it for photographs before cutting it together. Some guests raised their phones above the gathering to record the moment.

The cake was sponsored by Pastry Corner, which was thanked by organisers from the stage.

Around the hall, small American flags stood beside floral arrangements. The flags of India and the United States framed the stage. An illuminated “250” sign stood beneath a backdrop showing the US Capitol and the words “America 250 — 1776-2026.”

The setting reflected the dual identity of many in the room. The event celebrated American independence, but it was organised by immigrants and their children whose lives remain connected to India.

Stories of the American dream

The programme featured accounts of immigrant persistence, business success and public service.

Thanedar, a Democrat representing Michigan, recounted his journey from Belagavi in Karnataka to the US Congress. He spoke about growing up in a large family, working as a janitor while attending college and helping support his mother after his father lost his job.

His effort to secure an American student visa was not straightforward. Thanedar said his application was rejected four times. On one occasion, he lost consciousness after the refusal.

He ultimately obtained the visa on his fifth attempt and travelled to the United States for doctoral studies in chemistry. As a teaching assistant, he earned $300 a month and sent $75 home to his mother. During summers, when his assistantship did not cover him, he sometimes slept in his car or inside a university building.

Thanedar later built a network of pharmaceutical services businesses. During the economic downturn, his company collapsed and a bank took control of his assets. He and his wife moved from St. Louis to Ann Arbor, Michigan, in a rental truck and began again.

The rebuilt company grew, and Thanedar eventually sold it before entering public service. He ran for governor of Michigan, served in the state legislature and was elected to Congress in 2022.

“What a great country this is,” he told the gathering. “What a great country.”

Thanedar’s journey resonated with IAMBIG’s predominantly first-generation membership, Puli said. Many had arrived in the United States with limited resources before building careers and businesses.

“The Sri Tanadar shared his story of how you know he came to this country as an immigrant again, just like first-time immigrant, and then went through a very tough journey,” Puli said. “This was very deeply inspiring for many of our people because most of our members are first generation Indian Americans here.”

A call to contribute

The public officials attending the programme focused on the role entrepreneurs can play beyond their own companies, according to Puli.

Many IAMBIG members have already built substantial enterprises. Together, businesses associated with the organisation employ more than 10,000 people and represent several billion dollars in value, Puli said.

The evening’s message was that their experience could also be used to create opportunities for others.

“They all were talking about how we can contribute, to the society here as a businessman,” Puli said. “You have the experience of you know building a big business where you generate a lot of you know impact by creating jobs and changing their lives, right?”

The gathering did not focus only on established business and political leaders. A youth panel mentored by Sukumar Iyer examined the next generation’s role in carrying forward the American dream.

Young participants discussed leadership, business, technology and community engagement. Their inclusion was consistent with IAMBIG’s effort to connect experienced founders with the children of first-generation immigrants.

The organisation has established a youth group and previously conducted a leadership boot camp. Its longer-term plans include mentoring young people who want to establish companies or non-profit organisations, enter public life or pursue other forms of service.

Puli said the speakers urged IAMBIG members to share the knowledge they had gained from building businesses.

“They’re saying that you know you as a group, very successful Indian group, can make a big difference in the society,” he said.

Patriotism across generations

The programme also included patriotic musical performances by Shriya Iyer, Sarina and Alisha Luthra, and Netra Kothari.

One performance invited the audience to sing along to “This Land Is Your Land”. The choice carried particular resonance in a room filled with immigrants, their American-born children and public officials.

Families joined in as the song moved from California to New York and across the country’s forests and waters. Performers later received tokens of appreciation before participants assembled for a large group photograph.

The mix of businesspeople, spouses and children reflected IAMBIG’s family-centred membership model. Unlike traditional business associations, the organisation encourages members to bring their families to meetings and programmes.

IAMBIG began in May 2023 with an informal gathering of about 40 to 50 Indian American entrepreneurs and Indian Embassy officials. It has since grown to nearly 100 member families, according to Puli.

The group’s founders view that growth as an opportunity to produce a broader economic and social impact. Its plans include a possible start-up fund, programmes for emerging leaders and a permanent entrepreneurship centre.

“At IAMBIG, we believe success is not only about what we achieve, but the difference we make,” the organisation said in its account of the anniversary celebration. “Together, we will continue to build businesses, create opportunities, and leave a legacy of impact for generations to follow.”

The United States marked 250 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The semiquincentennial has prompted national and local events examining the country’s history, democratic institutions and changing population.

For the Indian Americans gathered in Tysons Corner, the anniversary was also intensely personal. It was a celebration of the country’s founding, but also of the opportunities that allowed immigrants to become entrepreneurs, employers and elected representatives. The 250-pound cake offered a memorable symbol of that journey — large, colourful and carrying a simple declaration of belonging.

Discover more at New India Abroad.