More than 25,000 people gathered in downtown San Jose on August 15 to celebrate India’s 80th Independence Day and the United States’ 250th Independence Day. Organized by the Association of Indo Americans (AIA), SWADES 2026 featured a grand India Day Parade with more than 80 floats and participation from over 50 Indian-American organizations.
Bollywood actress Taapsee Pannu served as the grand marshal of the parade. The 80-foot joint India-U.S. Flag Walk and Tiranga Walk were among the major attractions, along with vibrant music and dance performances showcasing India’s rich cultural heritage.
More than 100 children participated in classical and film dance performances, while art, chess and essay competitions added to the family-friendly celebrations.
The event was attended by several prominent dignitaries, including Consul General of India Srikar Reddy, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, U.S. Representative Sam Liccardo, Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, and California Assembly Members Ash Kalra and Patrick Ahrens. According to AIA, more than 40 elected officials took part in the celebrations.
The festivities continued with a free Day and Night Mela featuring Indian food, shopping and family activities. The celebrations concluded with ‘Vijay Bharat’, a cultural showcase featuring dances representing different states of India.
AIA also announced its upcoming community events, including Ganpati Bappa Morya on September 19 at Bishop Ranch in San Ramon and Dussehra Diwali Dhamaka on October 17 at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton.
