Tue Oct 29 22:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Biden Hosts Largest Diwali Reception Ever at White House, Celebrates South Asian American Contributions
**WASHINGTON D.C.** – President Joe Biden hosted a grand Diwali celebration at the White House on Monday, drawing over 600 eminent Indian Americans for a vibrant display of culture and community. The event, the largest Diwali reception ever held at the White House, was a testament to the growing influence and contributions of the South Asian American community in the United States.
“As President, I have been honored to host the biggest Diwali receptions ever at the White House,” Biden stated, emphasizing the vital role South Asian Americans have played in his administration. “From Kamala to Dr. Murthy to so many of you here today, I’m proud that I kept my commitment to have an administration that looks like America,” he added.
The ceremony included remarks from Indian American youth activist Shrusti Amula, a recorded video message from astronaut Sunita Williams aboard the International Space Station, and a speech by Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy. Vice President Kamala Harris and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden were absent due to prior campaign commitments.
Reflecting on the first Diwali celebration at the White House in 2016, Biden acknowledged the resurgence of “a dark cloud formed from hate and hostility toward immigrants, including South Asian Americans” in 2024. He stressed the importance of unity and celebrating diversity, emphasizing that “How America reminds us all of our power to be the light, all of us.”
Biden formally lit the diya in the Blue Room of the White House, using the opportunity to express his gratitude to the South Asian American community for their crucial role in American democracy. “On this day in America, we think about that journey of light,” he said, highlighting the evolution of Diwali celebrations from shadowed suspicion to open and proud expressions of culture within the White House.
First Piper 