In a powerful gesture of recognition and collaboration, New York City Mayor Eric Adams convened a special roundtable with Indian American community leaders at City Hall on March 20, 2025. 

The gathering brought together voices from across the five boroughs for a meaningful dialogue focusing on community needs, cultural visibility, and shared progress. With Indian Americans playing an increasingly vital role in the fabric of New York City, this meeting marked a significant step forward in deepening civic partnership and mutual understanding.

The roundtable brought together representatives from over 50 Indian American organizations — including community advocates, nonprofit leaders, cultural ambassadors, and small business owners — who shared insights and priorities from across the five boroughs. They were joined by senior officials from several major New York City agencies, including the Community Affairs Unit (CAU), New York City Police Department, Department of Buildings, Department of Small Business Services, Mayor’s Office of Food Policy, Office of Nonprofit Services, Office of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE), and the Mayor’s Office of International Affairs (MOIA).

The event began with opening remarks from CAU Commissioner Fred Kreizman, who introduced senior members of the city’s leadership team and welcomed attendees. He was followed by Deputy Commissioner for Trade, Investment, and Innovation at the MOIA, Dilip Chauhan, who spoke passionately about the administration’s ongoing commitment to the Indian American community. Chauhan emphasized the mayor’s dedication to inclusion, partnership, and opportunity, setting the stage for an engaging and purposeful dialogue.

Mayor Adams opened the roundtable by acknowledging the invaluable contributions of the Indian American community to New York City’s cultural and economic landscape. 

“Our city is home to more than 220,000 Indians across all five boroughs, who provide incredible value to our communities, businesses, and culture,” he said. “Our administration is laser-focused on not only listening to their concerns on issues like public safety and inclusive food options, but making concrete steps to address them.”

Throughout the discussion, Indian American community leaders presented a wide range of proposals aimed at improving the quality of life not only for their community, but for all New Yorkers. Key topics included the creating community spaces, expanding the mayor’s “Breaking Bread, Building Bonds” initiative, increasing access to vegetarian and religiously inclusive meals in hospitals, supporting small businesses facing safety challenges, introducing meditation and wellness programs, fostering religious harmony, and improving logistics for large-scale cultural events.

Mayor Adams responded to each issue with attentiveness and optimism. “We heard from Indian small business owners, nonprofit founders, and cultural leaders, all of whom work each day to improve our city and strengthen our communities,” he said. “We are committed to working with them to ensure New York City is the best place to raise a family and thrive.”

Leaders at the meeting expressed gratitude for several key initiatives the mayor has already implemented, including making Diwali a public school holiday, supporting plant-based meal programs, and promoting Indian culture throughout the city. Adams reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to continuing this work and emphasized his commitment to expanding cultural awareness and supporting community needs.

City officials also highlighted new efforts to deliver healthy, inclusive meals across public hospitals and to expand support for minority- and women-owned small businesses. In a promising gesture of follow-through, Mayor Adams assigned specific members of his senior staff to continue working on the key issues raised during the meeting.

The roundtable marked an important step in deepening the city’s relationship with Indian Americans. It not only acknowledged the profound impact of the community but also served as a platform to ensure ongoing engagement, visibility, and collaboration. As New York continues to grow as a global city, this gathering reflected the shared belief that every community — especially one as dynamic and diverse as the Indian American population — deserves to be heard, respected, and empowered.

As a young New Yorker in the room, I was truly inspired by the level of engagement and leadership on display. Hearing directly from community voices and seeing city officials respond with attention and care gave me confidence in the future we are building together. It was a powerful reminder that the city is listening — and that each of us has a role to play in shaping a more inclusive, supportive, and opportunity-filled New York.

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