FIA hosts International Women’s Day event in New York; honours leaders from Indian diaspora

New York: The Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) NY-NJ-CT-NE, one of the oldest and largest grassroots organisations representing the Indian diaspora across eight Northeastern states of the United States, hosted its 8th Annual International Women’s Day celebration on 6 March 2026 at India House.

The event recognised accomplished women from the Indian diaspora who have broken barriers and made significant contributions in fields such as business, media, finance and social entrepreneurship.

The programme was emceed by Riddhi Parikh Patel, who opened the evening with a moment of silence in memory of Radha Subramanyam, a previous award recipient who recently passed away.

FIA President Sreekanth Akkapalli, who assumed office on 1 January 2026, highlighted the organisation’s continued commitment to supporting women leaders. He thanked women for the positive changes they have driven within communities and congratulated the awardees on behalf of FIA Chairman Ankur Vaidya, along with the Board, Trustees and Executive Committee.

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During the event, Akkapalli also introduced the special guest, Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, India’s Consul General in New York.

In his address, Pradhan emphasised that women’s empowerment is vital for national progress. He highlighted several Indian government initiatives including Beti Bachao Beti Padhao for the education of the girl child and Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, which provides clean cooking fuel to households. He also spoke about economic programmes linking around 100 million households with nine million women-led self-help groups and noted India’s efforts to build the world’s largest pipeline for women in public office. He also thanked his wife for her constant support.

The honourees were presented with Certificates of Recognition from Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York, along with FIA sashes and trophies.

Among the speakers, Jody Lynne Herkloz, Chief Operating Officer of Northstar Strategies, encouraged women to uplift one another. Balpreet Grewal‑Virk, Senior Vice-President at Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health, praised FIA’s role in strengthening community ties and credited the courage of immigrants, her parents and her husband for her journey.

American actress Reshma Shetty spoke about motherhood and preserving cultural heritage for her 10-year-old child. Meanwhile, Tania Kinsella, First Deputy Commissioner of the New York Police Department, dedicated the recognition to her mother and grandmothers, calling it a symbol of generational progress.

Monalisa Shuvadarshini, wife of the Consul General, also thanked organisers for the recognition and appreciation.

The evening concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Srishti Kaul Narula, General Secretary of FIA.

The annual celebration reflects FIA’s ongoing commitment to promoting gender equality and empowering women to drive meaningful social change. Established in 1970, the organisation continues to strengthen Indo-US ties through cultural events, advocacy and community service for the Indian diaspora in the Northeastern United States.