Gov. Hochul declares Diwali Day in New York

Queens, NY: At a Diwali celebration on October 11 in Corona, NY, Governor Kathy Hochul proclaimed the day as Diwali Day for the state.

The event at World Fair Marina Restaurant was hosted by South Asians for New York, founded by Dr Hari Shukla, and ‘Celebrations’, founded by Uma Sengupta.

About 150 people attended the program. Dignitaries included Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, State Senator John Liu, India’s Consul General Randhir Jaiswal, Deputy Consul General Varun Jeph, as well as NYC Council Members Barry Grodenchik and Jim Gennaro.

Gov Hochul lit the traditional lamp and spoke about the contributions of the South Asian community. She read out a section of the proclamation in her speech: “As Diwali inspires a spirit of festivity, New Yorkers extend appreciation to our Indian and South Asian communities for their contributions and commitment to upholding and sharing our wonderfully rich heritage story and time-honored traditions, and we extend the warmest wishes for joy and peace and prosperity in the future – and that is why I am proclaiming this day Diwali, the festival of lights, here in the State of New York.”

Referring to the pandemic, she said, “It was so hard for so many of our communities, and yet, we are now finally finding the light that is long overdue and it’s making us feel stronger and more empowered.”

Hochul, who replaced Gov. Andrew Cuomo after he quit to fill the rest of his term, is expected to run for the post in 2022.

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