Illinois Congressman, Speaker Pelosi, join community leaders, to celebrate Diwali on Capitol Hill

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More than a hundred guests, including several Indian-American community leaders from Illinois, attended the Nov. 3, 2021 Diwali celebrations hosted by Democratic Congressman Danny K Davis of Chicago, at the National Democratic Club in Washington D.C. The event was headlined by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the third highest elected official in the country.

Speaker Pelosi lit the traditional Indian lamp, a press release from Rep. Davis’s office said. Several prominent elected officials including Congressman Richard Neal, (D- Massachusetts), Chair, U. S. House Ways & Means Committee among others joined the celebration. Well known Bharat Natyam exponent, Indrani Davaluri, extended a traditional welcome Pelosi and Neal at the event.

Dr Vijay G Prabhakar, president of the American Multi-Ethnic Coalition and president, Indian American Business Coalition, USA, noted that this Diwali celebration was significant because of Speaker Pelosi’s presence and because since 2009, this was the first time Diwali was not being celebrated at the White House.

Among others involved with the celebrations to showcase India’s heritage during this festival season was the State of Illinois House Speaker, the City of Chicago Council and Cook County Treasurer’s office, Prabhakar said.
President Obama was the first U. S. President to celebrate Diwali in the White House in 2009, and thereafter all Presidents annually celebrated Diwali.

Neil Khot, national chairman of the Indian American Business Coalition praised Prabhakar for putting the event together, and   also organizing Diwali celebrations in City of Chicago Council, Cook County Treasurer’s Office and Illinois government for the first time in 184 years.

Kishor Mehta, emeritus chair of Congressman Danny Davis’s Multi-Ethnic Advisory Task Force, thanked Rep. Davis, for hosting the Diwali Celebration, and pointed to his record as an ardent supporter of strong US- India ties especially recalling his efforts during the Covid pandemic.

Anica Dubey, global outreach chair, American Multi-Ethnic Coalition, said this celebration of Diwali was truly a triumph of good over evil.

Dr Sreenivas Reddy, member, National Council on White House History said that Indian American leaders have participated in this celebration to usher in a spirit of prosperity and peace with the Biden Harris administration and strengthen U.S. -Indo ties.

Lion Hina Trivedi, founder, Chicago Indo U. S. Lions Club, thanked the guests who attended the celebrations and singled out Chief of Staff of Congressman Danny Davis Tumia Romero, for hosting the celebration at the National Democratic Club.

Indian  American Business Coalition, USA, American Multi-Ethnic Coalition,- AMEC, World Federation of Tamil Youth, Chicago Indo- U. S. Lions Club, and the Congressional Multi-Ethnic Advisory Task Force- MEATF are facilitating similar Diwali celebrations for the first time ever at Chicago City Council on November 4, Cook County Treasurer’s Office on November 5 and the State of Illinois House Speaker’s office the week of November 8, 2021, the press release said.