US President Donald Trump celebrated Diwali on Friday by lighting a diya in the Oval Office. The event brought together Indian-American officials and business leaders to mark the tradition. Entrepreneur Vishal Gondal attended the gathering and said, "Honoured to celebrate Diwali with President Trump and proud to gift him."
Donald Trump lit a diya with Indian-American officials and business leaders in the Oval Office. The gathering continued a White House tradition while highlighting India-US friendship.
US President Donald Trump celebrated Diwali at the Oval Office with prominent Indian-American members of his administration, entrepreneurs and business leaders.
Those attending the celebration on Friday included India's Ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Micron Technology CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, entrepreneur Vishal Gondal, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, FBI Director Kash Patel and US National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya.
The celebration began with Trump lighting a diya at a small gathering in the Oval Office. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Social Security Administration Deputy Commissioner Arjun Mody were also present, according to PTI.
Other attendees included Ruby Dhalla, president and CEO of the Dhalla Group of Companies; Rajiv Sharma, founder and CEO of Knack Systems; Viswajith Mallampati, president of Keshavam DC; Hetalkumar Patel, a guest of the President; and White House events usher Arvind Chadha.
"A moment of shared light in the Oval Office," Gondal, founder and CEO of GOQii Technologies, said in a post on X.
"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," he said.
Sharing photographs from the celebration, Gondal said that as the diyas were lit, he prayed for friendship between India and the US and for the triumph of light over darkness.
The tradition of holding Diwali celebrations at the White House began under President George W Bush in 2003. The ceremonies were earlier mostly held at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in the presence of 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 during a ceremony in the East Room. Since then, lamp-lighting ceremonies have been held at different locations in the White House, including the Oval Office and the Roosevelt Room.
Trump's Oval Office celebration continued the White House's Diwali tradition, bringing together Indian-American officials, diplomats, entrepreneurs and business leaders for the diya-lighting ceremony.