US President Donald Trump celebrated Diwali at the White House, hosting prominent Indian-American officials, business leaders, entrepreneurs and members of the Indian diaspora at a special gathering in the Oval Office. The celebration highlighted the growing cultural visibility of the Indian-American community in the United States and the significance of Diwali in American public life.
The event began with Trump lighting a traditional diya, symbolising the triumph of light over darkness. Several senior administration officials attended the celebration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Arjun Mody, Deputy Commissioner of the Social Security Administration.
The distinguished guest list included India’s Ambassador to the United States Vinay Mohan Kwatra, celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, entrepreneur Vishal Gondal, Micron Technology CEO Sanjay Mehrotra and IBM CEO Arvind Krishna. FBI Director Kash Patel and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya were also present.
One of the highlights of the celebration was the meeting between Trump and Indian technology entrepreneur Vishal Gondal, founder of health technology company GOQii. During the event, Gondal participated in the ceremonial lighting of a diya and presented the US President with a copy of the Hanuman Chalisa, the revered devotional hymn dedicated to Lord Hanuman.
Sharing photographs and details of the occasion on social media platform X, Gondal described the meeting as a moment of shared light and expressed his pride in presenting the religious text to Trump.
He explained that the Hanuman Chalisa, composed by poet-saint Tulsidas, is recited by millions for courage, devotion and strength. Gondal also said his prayer during the ceremony was for stronger friendship between India and the United States and for the victory of light over darkness.
Emphasising the universal message of the festival, Gondal invoked the traditional Indian blessing “Jug Jug Jiyo”, which means “may you live for ages”. He extended wishes for peace, prosperity, good health and longevity to people around the world.
The celebration also brought together other prominent members of the Indian diaspora, including former Canadian parliamentarian Ruby Dhalla, reflecting the international reach of the Indian community.
The participation of senior US officials, corporate executives and influential Indian-origin personalities underscored the expanding presence of Indian Americans across government, business, science and technology.
Diwali, widely celebrated as the festival of lights, holds deep cultural and spiritual significance for millions of people worldwide. Its message of hope, renewal and the triumph of good over evil has increasingly become part of multicultural celebrations across the United States.
The White House gathering offered an opportunity to showcase Indian cultural traditions at the highest level of American public life while highlighting the longstanding people-to-people connections between India and the United States.
