US President Donald Trump celebrates Diwali with Indian diaspora, CEOs; participates in diya-lighting ceremony | Details

US President Donald Trump celebrated Diwali at the White House, lighting a diya at the Oval Office alongside Indian-American leaders, entrepreneurs and officials. Entrepreneur Vishal Gondal also gifted him a copy of the Hanuman Chalisa.

US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) participated in a Diwali celebration at the White House and also joined the diya-lighting ceremony.

The gathering brought together several prominent members of the Indian diaspora as they celebrated the festival of lights inside the executive office of Trump, PTI reported.

Among those present were India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra; FBI Director Kash Patel; renowned chef Vikas Khanna; entrepreneur Vishal Gondal; IBM CEO Arvind Krishna; and US National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya.

Trump celebrates Diwali with Indian entrepreneurs

During the Diwali celebrations at the Oval Office, the US President also met prominent Indian-American members of his administration, entrepreneurs and top CEOs, including Sanjay Mehrotra of Micron Technology.

Among those present were 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, a guest of the President.

The celebrations began with Trump lighting a diya in the Oval Office amid an intimate gathering that also included Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Deputy Commissioner of the Social Security Administration Arjun Mody.

White House Events Usher Arvind Chadha was also present at the celebration.

In a post on X, Gondal, the founder and CEO of GOQii Technologies, wrote, "A moment of shared light in the Oval Office." He added, "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 also shared photographs from the celebrations and wrote, "As the diyas were lit, my prayer was for friendship between India and America, and for the triumph of light over darkness. Jug Jug Jiyo, a blessing many of us grew up hearing, means 'may you live for ages.' It is the wish behind everything I do, and today I made it for everyone around the world: peace, prosperity, good health, and longevity."

History of Diwali celebrations at the White House

According to PTI, former US President George W. Bush began the tradition of celebrating Diwali at the White House in 2003. Previously, Diwali celebrations were mostly held at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in the presence of members of the Indian-American community and Indian diplomats.

Six years later, Barack Obama became the first US president to light a diya (lamp) at the White House during a ceremony in the East Room in 2009.

Since then, Diwali celebrations featuring the lighting of lamps have been held at various locations within the White House.

(with PTI inputs)

About the Author

Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.