The significance of 9/11 is growing year after year, remembering the magnitude and impact of the fateful day. The Indian diaspora will be paying their respects to the thousands of men and women who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, the deadliest terror attack in American history. The Indian American community organisations in association with the Federation of Indian Associations have organised a peace prayer gathering at NYC's iconic Times Square.

​RANA President Prem Bhandari, FIA chairman Ankur Vaidya, FIA President Kenny Desai and FIA past President and Chairman of Bihar Foundation Alok Kumar have collectively stated that the non-political and non-religious prayer gathering will include chanting of Mahatma Gandhi's teachings and prayers. The event will be held on Sunday, September 11 from 11 a.m. till 12 noon.

Ankur vaidya chairman prem bhandari chairman Jaipur foot USA and Kenny Desai president FIA
Ankur Vaidya, FIA chairman; Prem Bhandari, chairman Jaipur foot USA; and Kenny Desai FIA PresidentFile photo

The event is organised to commemorate the lives lost during the 9/11 attack, whose sacrifices haven't been forgotten to this day. The gathering will also express the community's concerns with the recent vandalising of the Mahatma Gandhi statue.

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FIA Chairman Ankur Vaidya with President Kenny Desai

A statue of Mahatma Gandhi in front of a temple in New York was toppled and smashed in the attack on the memorial last month. Six men destroyed the statue at the Sri Tulsi Mandir with a sledgehammer and painted hate-filled words, around it and on the road.

A combination of leftists and Khalistanis have targeted Gandhi statues across the US, sometimes by circulating petitions for removing them, as in the case of another statue in New York City that was also vandalised by placing a shroud over it and at other times by damaging them. The community gathering will also express concerns about the hate crimes against Indian Americans.

Remembering 9/11: Indian diaspora organise peace prayer at Times Square [details]
Indian diaspora organise peace prayer at Times Square commemorating those who lost lives during 9/11 attack

The organisers have also invited Mahatma Gandhi's grandson and Martin Luther King Jr. family members to the event, trying to compile a diverse group community.

Alok kumar and Prem Bhandari
FIA past President and Chairman of Bihar Foundation Alok Kumar with RANA President Prem Bhandari

India's Independence Day celebration at Times Square

The upcoming event at Times Square comes days after a grand celebration of India's 75th Independence Day was held at NYC's landmark destination. The event was organised by the Federation of Indian Associations NY-NJ-CT-NE (FIA), which was attended by many dignitaries and celebrities.

Ankur Vidya chairman Kenny Desai president FIA Alok kumar former FIA president and Chairman Bihar Foundation prem Bhandari chairman jaipur foot USA with FIA office bearer and members Praveen Bansal Sujal Parikh and others at Times Square file photo
Ankur Vidya, FIA Chairman, Kenny Desai, President FIA, Alok Kumar, former FIA president and Chairman Bihar Foundation, Prem Bhandari, Chairman Jaipur Foot USA with FIA office bearer and members Praveen Bansal, Sujal Parikh and others at Times Square. [File photo]

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, BJP's Kailash Vijayvargiya, Prem Bhandari, Sambit Patra, FIA chairman Ankur Vaidya, FIA President Kenny Desai, FIA's past President & Chairman of Bihar Foundation of America Alok Kumar, and former FIA president Srujal Parikh, attended the gathering.