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FIA hosts Republic Day Gala in Chicago
The gala was attended by Bollywood actress and singer, Padmini Kolhapure, and Consulate General of India, Chicago, Shri Somnath Ghosh, among other dignitaries and guests.
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Rwittika Chakraborty
- Fri, 30, Jan 2026
- 05:32 EST
- 19
FIA hosts Republic Day Gala in Chicago / Courtesy Photo
The Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) hosted India’s 77th Republic Day Gala at the Matrix Club, Chicago, on Jan. 25, with several distinguished guests from across the political and corporate spectrum in attendance.
Founder President & Chairman Sunil Shah, along with President Altaf Bukhari and President Richa Chand, orchestrated the event with the objective to celebrate community, heritage, and culture while also reinforcing the FIA’s standing as a pillar of the Illinois community.
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The gala was attended by Bollywood actress and singer, Padmini Kolhapure, Consulate General of India, Chicago, Shri Somnath Ghosh, U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, State Representative Stephanie Kifowit, and Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison.
Mayor Tom Dailly (Schaumburg), Mayor Rodney Craig (Hanover Park), FIA Vice Chairman Neil Khot, who is running for Congress in the 8th District, FIA Director Raj Pillai, running for Will County Treasurer, and Ajay Gupta, FIA Director running for State Representative in Illinois House District 41, were also present at the event.
A highlight of the event was the address delivered by Shah, followed by both Presidents delivering impactful remarks.
President Bukhari took the podium to thank the dignitaries and guests for their presence while President Chand delivered a speech, paying tribute to the freedom fighters who fought for Independence, drawing a parallel to the present day.
Immediate Past President Anu Malhotra, Vice Chairman Neil Khot, and past presidents Vinita Gulabani, Pratibha Jairath, Hitesh Gandhi, Mukesh Shah, and Rita Singh, along with the entire Advisory Board and volunteer corps, contributed to making the event a success.
The event featured the singing of the Indian National Anthem, "Jana Gana Man", by Ms. Pratibha Jairath and the American National Anthem by Riddhika Gupta.
Vocal performances were delivered by Jitendra, Dharmender Gill, Shivam Viswanathan, Manmeet Kaur, Sargam Kapoor, and Radhika Chimata, who performed the song Vande Matram.
Asha Mehta, Mona Kapoor, and Minoo Vasudevan presented dance performances.
Special recognition was given to Shirlzar Dance Academy, with Eli Rodriguez, Shirley Rodriguez and their team presenting an inspiring patriotic dance performance and Classical Odyssey for the dance performance by Dhruvika & Bheeni.
The FIA also distributed scholarships to five students in the U.S. and one from India. The recipients included Ashritha Kukunooru, Pari Jain, Sandeep Pant, Aarush Parikh, and Anika Menta from Chicago, USA and one student, Khushi Makwana, from India.
Chairman of Global Eye Magazine, Vijay Prabhakar, honored Chairman Sunil Shah with a shawl for being a visionary leader and honored Anu Malhotra with the Global Eye Ratna Samman Award 2026 with a Grand Peacock Medallion and a shawl, in recognition of her service to FIA as 2025 President and her efforts toward uplifting humanity.
The event’s execution was driven by sub-committees, including emcees Shivam Viswanathan, Sakshi Sharma, Vinita Gulabani, and Radhika Chimata.
The formal proceedings concluded with a Vote of Thanks delivered by the Secretarial Team, Kamlesh Kapoor and Anshul Bindal, who expressed gratitude to the sponsors, media, and volunteers for their dedication.
The event ended on a festive note with music, a cake-cutting ceremony, and camaraderie as Chairman Sunil Shah, President Altaf Bukhari, and President Richa Chand thanked the community for their support and reaffirmed the FIA’s promise to continue fostering culture, education, community, and unity in the years to come.
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