Washington: The Indian community in the US city of Cleveland observed India's 69th Independence Day, marking the event with yoga, speeches, dance and musical performances.

Many Indian-Americans practiced yoga before a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the India Cultural Garden in the morning, cleveland.com news portal reported on Saturday.

Many onlookers joined the session. Later the gathering marched with Indian flags to commemorate Gandhi's "Salt March" – a protest that took place in 1930.

Later in the day, many Indian-Americans in Indian national flag-coloured costumes gathered in Rockefeller Gardens for more celebrations.

The programme included song and dance performances both in the traditional and Bollywood style. The meeting concluded with the chanting of the national anthem.

One Indian American, Om Julka, 97, told the crowd that he served in the Indian Army and he stood behind Jawaharlal Nehru at the first Independence Day celebration in New Delhi in 1947.

(IANS)