Our Bureau
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It was an evening of lights, laughter, and a whole lot of Diwali cheer as the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) gathered for its Annual General Body Meeting at Ashyana Banquets. The FIA community turned up in style, ready to celebrate new beginnings, acknowledge past accomplishments, and cheer on their new Executive Board for 2025. The event featured a series of presentations, speeches, and recognitions to honor the organization’s achievements and upcoming initiatives.
Festivities started promptly at 3:30 pm with a lively social hour that was as much a photo op as it was a reunion. Members mingled and smiled for countless photos and videos, proving that while some may call it the digital age, the FIA calls it the “Document Everything” age!
Secretary General Nilabh Dubey formally opened the meeting with a high-energy welcome, after the permission to commence proceedings from FIA Founder Chairman Sunil Shah and current President Pratibha Jairath. Founder Chairman Sunil Shah offered an inspiring message about FIA’s growth and its commitment to preserving Indian culture, particularly during significant celebrations like Diwali. Now FIA is one of the largest Indian associations with 300+ board members. In a lively introduction, Sunil Shah rolled out the welcome mat for FIA’s newest members, a group of ten dynamic individuals ready to contribute. In an unexpected twist, two on-the-spot recruits—Khushbu Bansal and Madhuri Thakkar—joined the FIA family, proving that, when it comes to FIA, membership is very much sought after by all.
FIA Founder Chairman Sunil Shah then invited Advisory Board members Brij Sharma, Dr. Suresh Reddy, Sanhita Agnihotri, Keerthi Kumar Ravoori, Pinky Thakkar, Dr. Anuja Gupta, Dr. Bhupinder Beri, Lakhvir Sahota, Dr. Harjinder Khaira and Syed Hussaini to the stage. Their remarks ranged from inspirational to downright witty, with some gems and memorable anecdotes about their excellent experiences with FIA’s contribution to the community at large.
The evening’s agenda continued with a keynote from President Pratibha Jairath, who highlighted FIA’s key accomplishments throughout 2024. President Pratibha Jairath delivered a recap of the year with an impressive line-up of events. Highlights included; Nine major events, with one more, a Coat and Toy Drive, scheduled for December, the popular Windy City Bulls event, which drew over 400 attendees and featured 85 performers, a Holi festival with free T-shirts and a lively cultural program, a record turnout of 1,200 participants for International Yoga Day and a grand Star Awards Night, featuring Bollywood star Jaya Prada and honoring India’s Blind Cricket Team, where 100 nominations received in 19 Categories and 25 Awards were presented to community leaders. FIA’s marquee event Republic Day celebrations had many mayors attend where FIA gave scholarships to 6 students after evaluating more than 50 applications.
Vice-Chairman Neil Khot reflected on FIA’s core mission, emphasizing its role in community service and support, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted FIA’s outreach efforts to provide food, oxygen, and essential supplies to those in need, including orphanages and homeless shelters, and highlighted how FIA has become a valuable networking platform for its members, committed to lending a hand to anyone in need.
2025 FIA Executive Board Announcement
Founder Chairman Sunil Shah unveiled the new leadership lineup with much applause and excitement. And if the cheers were anything to go by, the 2025 team is already a fan favorite of the Dream Team who will lead FIA in the coming year: President 2025: Anu Malhotra, Executive Vice Presidents: Altaf Bukhari, Richa Chand, Sonia Luther, Vice President: Vaishal Talati, Murugesh Kasilingam, Subbu Iyer, Vikas Kalwani, Swati Kukian, Manoj Rathod, Secretary General: Nilabh Dubey, Treasurer: Suresh Bodiwala, Cultural Secretary: Falguni Rana, Pika Munshi, Joint Secretary: Falguni Sukhadia, Kamlesh Kapoor, Joint Treasurer: Payal Shah, Joint Cultural Secretary: Priyanka Parekh, Executive Director: Deepali Saraogi, Vice President Membership: Naresh Shah, Ramesh Punatar, Sunil Shah (RN), Ajanta Talukdar Sharma, Manoj Joshi, Ajanta Sharma, Vice President Sponsorship: Jessie Singh, Public Relations: Harry Sidhu, Leela Patel, Neelam Patel, Sara Bongale, Creative Director: Avani Shah
In a spirited acceptance speech, President-elect Anu Malhotra shared her vision for the year ahead, complete with a month-by-month event calendar. Events range from Republic Day in January to Diwali celebrations in November, with Mother’s Day, Holi, International Yoga Day, and Independence Day in between. On being congratulated by the Founder Chairman, Anu Malhotra said “Leadership to me is not about being in charge – it is about caring deeply for those in your charge.” She concluded with a rousing rendition of Lakshya (Goal) (Lakshya to har haal mein paana hai…), reaffirming her commitment to unity, success and bringing the 2025 vision to life.
Treasurer Suresh Bodiwala presented the annual financial report, noting the account balances and expenses and an increase in membership and events organized in 2024. He encouraged members to come forward with sponsorships to support FIA’s growth.
Adding an element of friendly competition, FIA announced the winners of its Membership Drive, awarding Sunil Shah (RN International) a $250 prize for first place and Manoj Joshi a $150 prize for second. These prizes, sponsored by Ramesh Punatar of US Films and Naresh Shah of Relia Care, reflected FIA’s commitment to growing its family.
Joint Secretary Falguni Sukhadia offered the closing vote of thanks, acknowledging the leadership of Founder Chairman Sunil Shah, Vice-Chairman Neil Khot, President Pratibha Jairath, and the Advisory Board. She affirmed the New Secretarial Team’s commitment to President-elect Anu Malhotra’s vision for 2025. The meeting adjourned with a round of applause, followed by group photos of the new leadership teams and the FIA family.
As the formalities concluded, the festivities continued with a vibrant evening of dinner, karaoke, and dancing. Emcees Shradha Marathe and Jitendra Bulsara kept the energy alive, inviting a line-up of singers to the stage and encouraging more guests to dance on an already jam-packed dance floor. The October and November birthdays were celebrated with a special cake-cutting ceremony, of over 23 individuals.
The FIA expresses gratitude to the event’s key supporters for the evening’s success, including Ramesh Punatar and Suresh Bodiwala for photography, Jitendra Bulsara for audio arrangements, Prasuna Muddasani for the stage décor and photo booth, Leela Patel for Bouquets and Lamps, Falguni Sukhadia bringing special birthday cakes, and Hitesh Gandhi for providing additional beverages.
The Federation of Indian Associations is a prominent organization dedicated to supporting the Indian American community and celebrating Indian culture. With a growing membership, FIA organizes events throughout the year, offering members networking opportunities and fostering unity among the community. Please visit the website for more details.
