The seniors of India Community Center celebrated Rakhsha Bandan and India Independence Day with much fanfare on Friday August 7. The room was filled to the brim with over 200 people in attendance, waving their flags, which appropriately featured the Indian tiranga on one side and the American old glory on the other.

 

The afternoon’s events were marked with many vocal performances, which spanned across three generations; young children and counselors from the ICC summer camps, guest artists, and ICC seniors.

 

And of course, no ICC event is complete without a performance by the senior Bollywood dance troupe, Jollywood. Senior M L Swamy said that “The Independence Day Items were full of dignity, decorum and respect for our country, India and they showed that wherever we are, even ten thousand miles away, we still have the love and patriotism for our country.”

 

Following the performances and some heartfelt speeches, the seniors turned to honor some special guests such as ICC’s oldest member (at 90 years old) along with his family. Other honored guests in attendance were head of Santa Clara senior nutrition programs Mary Cummins and Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese, who offered his congratulations along with a plaque commemorating the event to ICC.

 

And of course, the highlight of the afternoon was the tying of the Rakhis. Two lines were formed along the front of the room, with sisters on one side and brothers on the other. Regardless of blood ties, everyone received or gave a Rakhi, an act which truly exemplifies the close-knit and loving community and family we’ve come to find in ICC.