Trump Receives Hanuman Chalisa at White House Diwali Celebration
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
US President Donald Trump received a copy of the Hanuman Chalisa during a Diwali celebration at the White House on Friday (local time). Indian entrepreneur Vishal Gondal presented the devotional text during the Oval Office gathering and said he prayed for stronger friendship between India and the United States.
Gondal shared photographs of the event on social media, including one showing the cream-coloured book resting against red fabric.
Vishal Gondal Gifts Hanuman Chalisa to Trump
“Honored 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,” Gondal wrote on X.
He said his prayer as the diyas were lit was for friendship between India and America and “the triumph of light over darkness”.
The book's cover featured a depiction of Lord Hanuman kneeling with a text in his hands. It also had the title in red lettering, lotus motifs and metallic corner protectors.
Rubio, Kash Patel and Indian-Origin Leaders Listed in Programme
The White House's official schedule listed the Diwali celebration for 1:30 pm EST in the Oval Office, with no press access.
A programme photographed and shared by Gondal outlined a 30-minute ceremony, including presidential remarks and the lighting of a diya five minutes after the event began. Marked “subject to change”, it listed several prominent guests, although their attendance was not independently confirmed.
Those named included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, FBI Director Kash Patel and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya.
Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra, IBM chief executive Arvind Krishna, Micron Technology chief executive Sanjay Mehrotra, chef Vikas Khanna and businesswoman Ruby Dhalla were also listed.
Group photographs showed guests in Indian attire and formal suits posing around the President's desk, with gold curtains and flags in the background.
Trump Coin Becomes a Diwali Keepsake
Gondal also shared photographs from other parts of the White House, including ornate, gold-framed presidential displays and a wall bearing the words “The West Wing”.
Another photograph showed a large commemorative coin in an open palm. Its black face featured gold-coloured lettering, a central crest and the inscriptions “President of the United States” and “45th & 47th”.
“The Trump coin I received this Diwali will always remind me of this day,” Gondal wrote.
In another post, he described the visit as an experience he had never expected.
“I never imagined celebrating Diwali in the Oval Office. Being there with President Trump, I felt his magnetic presence firsthand,” he said.
History of Diwali Celebrations at the White House
White House Diwali observances began during George W Bush's administration in 2003.
In 2009, Barack Obama became the first sitting US President to light a diya at the White House. According to the Obama White House archive, the ceremony took place in the East Room.
