IAMC Marks India’s 80th Independence Day Across 8 US Cities; Reaffirms Commitment to Defending Democracy

Washington, DC (August 21, 2026) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the largest Indian American Muslim-led advocacy organization in the US, celebrated India’s 80th Independence Day with community gatherings hosted by chapters across the country, drawing hundreds of families, interfaith partners, and elected officials to events marked by flag hoistings, cultural performances, and calls to defend India’s constitutional values.

Chapters in Atlanta, the Bay Area, Boston, Buffalo, Dallas, Houston, Michigan, and New Jersey organized celebrations between August 15 and August 16, 2026. Programs combined patriotic observance with reflection on the contributions of Indian Muslims and other communities to the independence movement, and on the erosion of religious freedom and civil rights in India today.

In Newark, California, more than 350 people attended a celebration organized by IAMC together with the Ambedkar King Study Circle, the Association for India’s Development, Hindus for Human Rights, and interfaith coalition partners, bringing together members of the Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, and Dalit communities. California State Senator Dr. Aisha Wahab, who represents the state’s 10th Senate District, addressed the gathering, as did Aziz Akbari of the Alameda County Water District Board. Congressman Ro Khanna issued a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition honoring IAMC for building bonds across the region’s diverse Indian American community. 

IAMC Atlanta welcomed representatives from the offices of the U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff and U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock. Senator Warnock sent IAMC a letter recognizing the celebration and the organization’s work in the community, citing IAMC’s efforts to build stronger community ties and reaffirming the importance of freedom, equality, and justice for all. The program featured the hoisting of the Indian Tricolor, and patriotic performances.

IAMC Houston drew nearly 100 community members to Pecan Park in Sugar Land, where Fort Bend County Commissioner Dexter McCoy delivered the keynote address and presented IAMC with a proclamation recognizing the organization’s role in promoting unity and pluralism. More than a dozen elected officials and community leaders attended the chapter’s inaugural Independence Day celebration.

IAMC Boston gathered more than 50 people in Easton, Massachusetts. Chapter President Saeed Ahmed spoke on the contributions of people of every religion, caste, and creed to India’s freedom struggle, and on the importance of standing up to oppression and discrimination. IAMC National Director Amin Zama addressed why Indian Muslims should proudly observe Independence Day despite continuing atrocities against them, and on the need to uphold the Indian Constitution’s core values of equality, justice, liberty, and secularism. Sheriff Paul Heroux of Bristol County, a former Massachusetts State Representative and former Mayor of Attleboro, attended as guest of honor. 

IAMC Michigan drew approximately 125 community members from across the state’s Indian diaspora for a celebration that included singing of the national anthem, a community barbecue and a cricket match. 

IAMC Dallas marked the day in Plano with a flag hoisting, the national anthem, an indoor cricket tournament, and children’s activities, followed by a community dinner. Community leaders reflected on the contributions of Muslim leaders to the movement that ended British colonial rule.

IAMC Buffalo held a gathering in Buffalo, New York, where Dr. Majeed Siddiqui briefed attendees on the chapter’s work and on conditions in India. 

In New Jersey, IAMC members marched in the India Day Parade in New York City alongside Dalit, Sikh, Christian, and Muslim partners. It will also host an Independence Day picnic on Sunday, August 23, in Piscataway, where over 200 people have signed up and elected officials are expected to attend. U.S. Senator Cory Booker sent a letter of greeting ahead of the event, praising IAMC’s work to uplift Indian Muslim communities across New Jersey and the country. 

The gatherings drew families, interfaith partners, and elected officials into the same rooms, which is its own answer to the forces working to divide them. IAMC thanks the volunteers, performers, and chapter leaders who made that possible, and will carry the same commitment into the year ahead.

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