Stevensville celebrates India's 70th Independence Day

The Indian Independence Day celebrations, organized by South Western Indian Michigan Association (SMIA), were held at North Lake Park, Stevensville, Michigan on Saturday, August 13. SMIA is a regional non-profit organization that aims to preserve India's rich cultural heritage by organizing activities that promote the country's traditions. The event was attended by about 200 people from the Indian community, presenting cultural programs.A food 'mela' was also set up by the ladies featuring mouth-watering Indian snacks and delicacies.
The President of SMIA, Dr Geetha Dhatreecharan, presided over the event and said she was proud to be a part of this celebration and would continue to support the Indian community in keeping up with the cultural and traditional events as well as the national spirit.
The scene was all set for a grand celebration as Indian flag fluttered around the venue. Young and adults had the Indian flag painted on their cheeks, arms and hands and special bracelets made of 'flag color' beads were distributed to everyone.
After 'Jana Gana Mana' was sung, Madhulika Kota sang the 'Star-Spangled Banner,' the American anthem. The crisp summer morning air echoed with the soulful rendition of 'Vande Mataram' as Manasi Kota sang it from her heart and was joined by everyone. The student representative of the Indian community Malika Takale spoke about Jawaharlal Nehru and his visions of modern India. Children of different ages took part in a parade, dressed up as freedom fighters and leaders.

Children dressed as freedom fighters
The purpose of this event was to bring all the Indian families together and celebrate the 70th Independence Day. It was also intended to make the children proud of their motherland, to respect its history and their roots. Fun games were also arranged for everyone and exciting prizes were given out to the winners.