Parveen Chopra - Activities

Activities

Chopra was Marshal of India Day Parade which he helped to organize in 1987-1988 as President of the Federation of Indian Associations for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. This parade is attended by over one hundred thousand people each year and is considered to be the largest parade outside India to celebrate India's independence movement and democratic rule. He served as General Secretary of National Federation of Indian American Associations (1992–94) and organized many regional and national functions to preserve and enhance Indian cultural heritage in America and promote the causes that strengthen the relationships between two strongest democracies of the world, India and USA. Since then he has frequently acted as a liaison with many elected officials in the region and the White House in Washington, D.C.

In civil rights movement,Chopra has fought prejudice and racial discrimination against the Indian, Asian, and American community. In 1987–88 he spearheaded the movement in Jersey City in the State of New Jersey and in New York City, New York by organizing community protests. He also participated directly in a debate at Columbia University, with the Chief of Police of New Jersey. He led the delegation to meet the Attorney General in Washington, D.C. and also organized seminars at the Crystal City Inn to fight discrimination where entire EEO Commission was in attendance. In 1989-90 he took an active role in organizing demonstrations in Jackson Heights, New York when Indian merchants and customers became targets of violence. With the assistance of Police Department, Mayor and the Borough President’s Office the situations were resolved.

Chopra founded Jackson Heights Merchants’ Association (1988), Flushing Merchants’ Association (1989) which are the business hubs of Indian community in New York City. He worked to improve the neighborhood conditions for merchants, customers and citizenry. Chopra is also the founder/President of Asian American Coalition USA Inc. (1988) representing leaders and associations of fourteen countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan in America. Dr. Parveen Chopra is also the lifelong trustee of Hindu Center/Temple, Flushing, N.Y., and currently chairs the Election and Constitution Committees.

Chopra has organized over thirty fund raisers to help elect officials like county executive, congressmen, senators, judges for supreme court, county court, family court and district courts, town supervisors, mayors, legislators and councilmen. This has greatly helped not only Indian community to assimilate in America but also benefited countless causes in mainstream America. Chopra has also represented New York City Mayor and Comptroller and the two county executives on Long Island, New York at over three hundred functions over the past two decades welcoming such visitors as the Prime Minister of India, Federal Ministers, industrialists, ambassadors, consul generals, bishops, movie stars, and other people of significant achievements by presenting them with a key to the city, a flag of Nassau County, a citation or a proclamation to mark various events, achievements and celebrations.

Chopra is currently the Director of Nassau New York Civil Liberties Union; Director of New Yorkers for Choice in Education; Director of Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan USA a premier Indian Institute of Culture; Director of Indian Americans in Nassau County, New York that collaborates with county and town governments to celebrate India's Independence Day and Republic Day to commemorate India's democratic constitution and many achievements under democratically elected governments and also its past chairman; Treasurer and Chairperson of Finance for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation Celebration Committee that raises funds to grant college scholarships to needy and scholarly oriented students; and President Asian American Coalition USA that organizes a conglomeration of fourteen Asian Cultures programs and also founder of Asian American Coalition USA Hall of Fame that inducts outstanding Americans to its Hall of Fame.