Highlights:
US president Donald Trump celebrated Diwali at the White House's Oval Office on Friday, November 6, joining prominent Indian-American officials, business leaders and members of his administration for a special gathering marking the festival of lights.
The celebration began with Trump lighting a diya, symbolising the triumph of light over darkness. The gathering brought together several influential figures from the Indian-American community, including executives from major technology companies and representatives of the Indian government.
Among those attending were India's Ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Micron Technology CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, entrepreneur Vishal Gondal, FBI Director Kash Patel and US National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Arjun Mody, deputy commissioner of the Social Security Administration, were also present.
Other guests included Ruby Dhalla, president and CEO of Dhalla Group of Companies; Rajiv Sharma, founder and CEO of Knack Systems; Viswajith Mallampati, president of Keshavam DC; and Hetalkumar Patel, who was identified as a guest of the president. White House events usher Arvind Chadha also attended.
Vishal Gondal gifts Trump a copy of Hanuman Chalisa
Entrepreneur Vishal Gondal shared photographs from the celebration on X, describing it as “A moment of shared light in the Oval Office”.
Gondal, founder and CEO of GOQii Technologies, also presented Trump with a copy of the Hanuman Chalisa, the devotional hymn dedicated to Lord Hanuman and written by Tulsidas.
“Honoured to celebrate Diwali with President @realDonaldTrump and proud to gift him with a copy of the Hanuman Chalisa, Tulsidas's hymn to Lord Hanuman that millions of us recite for courage, devotion and strength,” Gondal wrote.
He said his prayer as the diyas were lit was for stronger friendship between India and the United States and for the triumph of light over darkness.
The photographs shared by Gondal offered a glimpse of the gathering inside the Oval Office, where Trump marked the festival alongside members of the Indian-American community and senior figures from his administration.
A tradition at the White House
Diwali celebrations at the White House date back to 2003, when President George W Bush began the tradition. Earlier events were generally held in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and attended by Indian-American community members and Indian diplomats.
In 2009, President Barack Obama became the first US president to light a diya at the White House. He did so during a Diwali ceremony in the East Room.
Since then, Diwali events have been held at different locations within the White House, including the Oval Office and the Roosevelt Room.
The annual celebrations have provided an opportunity for US presidents to recognise the Indian-American community and mark a festival observed by millions of people around the world.
