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The Consulate General of India in San Francisco, in partnership with the Uttar Pradesh Mandal of America (UPMA), marked a milestone celebration of Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas and World Hindi Diwas, held for the first time at the Indian Community Center (ICC) in Milpitas. In a statement from Archana Panda, who coordinated and anchored the event, the occasion brought together community leaders, cultural organizations, educators, and members of the Indian diaspora from across the Bay Area for a meaningful and memorable gathering.
The program opened with remarks by Dr. K. Srikar Reddy, Honorable Consul General of India in San Francisco, joined by Mr. Rakesh Adhlakha, Honorable Deputy Consul General. In his address, Dr. Reddy praised the extraordinary contributions and accomplishments of the Indo-American community, while reiterating the importance of preserving India’s languages, culture, and civilizational heritage. He emphasized that nurturing linguistic and cultural identity is a collective, intergenerational responsibility—one that strengthens both community bonds and India’s global legacy.
Mr. Ritesh Tandon, President of UPMA, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to expanding and strengthening future Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas and World Hindi Diwas celebrations across the United States. The program was anchored by Ms. Archana Panda, who also coordinated the event.
A key highlight of the evening was a special address by Usha Bhatnagar, recognized as Santa Clara County’s first Hindi teacher at Evergreen High School, who reflected on her lifelong dedication to Hindi education. Also in attendance was Nilu Gupta—Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas Awardee, UPMA co-founder, and Hindi educator at De Anza College.
The cultural segment celebrated India’s rich artistic diversity with vibrant performances by Bay Area groups, including Bollywood Dance Connection and California Nupur Dance Academy, among others.
The event witnessed broad participation from numerous community and cultural organizations, including UPMA, India Community Center (ICC), Bihar Foundation of USA, Association of Indo-Americans (AIA), Odisha Society of the Americas (OSA), Rajasthan Association of North America (RANA), Uttarakhand Mandal of America (UMA), Telangana Cultural Association (TCA), Jain Center of Northern California (JCNC), Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), Sewa International, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir–San Jose, Dadi Parivar USA, and many more.
Support also came from a wide range of institutions, businesses, and cultural groups such as Air India, Art of Living, Bloom Energy, City of Santa Clara, GOPIO, iGurukul, India Currents, Siliconeer Ventures Inc., SoLiD Theater, Village Health Outreach, and Yoga Ayurveda Organization Inc., among others. Their collective presence underscored a powerful spirit of unity, collaboration, and shared commitment to preserving India’s linguistic and cultural heritage abroad.
The evening concluded with a salute to the Indian tricolor and a renewed resolve to carry forward India’s linguistic, cultural, and national pride across borders and generations.
This text was edited with the assistance of an AI tool and has been reviewed and edited for accuracy and clarity by India Currents.