Trump lights diya at White House Diwali celebration

President Donald Trump took part in a Diwali celebration at the White House, lighting a diya in the Oval Office as Indian-American guests, business leaders and U.S. officials attended. The event brought together members of the Indian diaspora and people serving in the administration, according to reports describing the gathering on November 6, local time.

Those named as attendees included Indian Ambassador to the United States Vinay Mohan Kwatra, FBI Director Kash Patel, celebrity chef Vikas Khanna and entrepreneur Vishal Gondal. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna and Micron Technology CEO Sanjay Mehrotra were also present, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Social Security Administration Deputy Commissioner Arjun Mody. Jay Bhattacharya, identified in one account as director of the National Institutes of Health and in another as U.S. health secretary, also attended.

Gondal said in a social-media post that he gave Trump a copy of the Hanuman Chalisa, a Hindu devotional text. He described the gift as part of the celebration and said his prayer as lamps were lit was for friendship between India and the United States. His account establishes what he said he presented and hoped for;...