President Donald Trump celebrated Diwali at the White House on Friday, lighting a diya in the Oval Office in the presence of prominent Indian-American members of his administration, entrepreneurs and top chief executives.
The White House's official schedule listed the Diwali celebration for 1:30 p.m. Eastern time on Friday in the Oval Office. The event was closed to the press. The celebration began with Trump lighting a diya during an intimate gathering that included Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Deputy Commissioner of the Social Security Administration Arjun Mody.
Among those present were India's Ambassador to the United States Vinay Mohan Kwatra, celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, entrepreneur Vishal Gondal, IBM chief executive Arvind Krishna, Micron Technology chief executive Sanjay Mehrotra, FBI Director Kash Patel and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya. White House Events Usher Arvind Chadha was also present.
Gondal, founder and chief executive of health technology company GOQii, presented Trump with a copy of the Hanuman Chalisa, the hymn to Lord Hanuman. Writing on social media, Gondal called it "a moment of shared light in the Oval Office" and said he had prayed for enduring ties between India and America.
The tradition of celebrating Diwali at the White House began in 2003 under President George W. Bush. President Barack Obama became the first sitting president to personally light a ceremonial diya in the East Room in 2009.
Diwali, the festival of lights, falls on Sunday, November 8, this year. Communities across the United States are marking the weekend with temple celebrations, festive meals and illuminated public spaces, from a mela on Oak Tree Road in New Jersey to festivals in Edison, Jersey City, Chicago and Los Angeles.
