US President Donald Trump celebrated Diwali at the White House’s Oval Office on Friday, November 6, in the presence of prominent Indian-American members of his administration, entrepreneurs and business leaders. The gathering included Micron Technology CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, FBI Director Kash Patel and US National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya. Scroll down to know more.
Donald Trump Celebrates Diwali With Indian American CEOs
India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, entrepreneur Vishal Gondal, and White House Events Usher Arvind Chadha were also among those present. The celebrations began with Trump lighting a diya in the Oval Office during an intimate gathering that included Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Deputy Commissioner of the Social Security Administration Arjun Mody. 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, a guest of the President.
Sharing photographs from the celebration on X, GOQii Technologies founder and CEO Vishal Gondal described the gathering as “a moment of shared light in the Oval Office”. Gondal also revealed that he gifted Trump a copy of the Hanuman Chalisa, Tulsidas’s devotional hymn to Lord Hanuman, which millions of devotees recite for courage, devotion and strength.
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In his post, Gondal said that as the diyas were lit, he prayed for stronger friendship between India and the US and for the triumph of light over darkness. He also shared the meaning of the phrase “Jug Jug Jiyo”, a blessing wishing someone a long life, and extended his wishes for peace, prosperity, good health and longevity to people around the world.
The White House Celebrates Its Yearly Diwali Tradition
The tradition of celebrating Diwali at the White House began in 2003 under former US President George W. Bush. Initially, the ceremonies were largely held at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and attended by members of the Indian-American community and Indian diplomats. In 2009, former President Barack Obama became the first US President to light a diya at the White House during a Diwali celebration in the East Room.
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Since then, the annual lamp-lighting tradition has been observed at different locations within the White House, including the Oval Office and the Roosevelt Room, bringing together members of the administration, diplomats and representatives of the Indian-American community.
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Cover Image Courtesy: X/vishalgondal
FAQs
Who is Donald Trump?
Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States
When is Diwali 2026?
Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, November 8, 2026.
What is White House famous for?
The White House is famous for being the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C.
