Ganesh Kendale
NEW DELHI: The White House military band on Monday played a rendition of “Om Jai Jagdish Hare” to celebrate Diwali at US President Joe Biden’s official residence.
Gita Gopinath, the first deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), shared the video on X and said, “Wonderful to hear the White House military band play Om Jai Jagdish Hare for Diwali. Happy Diwali!”
President Biden marked Diwali with a grand celebration at the White House, extending his greetings to Americans and honoring the contributions of the South Asian American community.
The event was attended by over 600 prominent Indian Americans, including members of Congress, officials, and corporate leaders.
Biden also lit a diya in the Blue Room of the White House and hailed the South Asian American community, describing it as “the fastest-growing and most engaged community in the world.”
“The South Asian American community has enriched every part of American life,” Biden said. “Now, Diwali is celebrated openly and proudly in the White House.”
“This is not my house; this is your house. In a country as diverse as ours, we debate, we dissent, but we never lose sight of how we got here and why,” he added.
The Diwali festivities at the White House have a storied history. Beginning with President George Bush in 2003, who initiated the tradition, the Diwali celebration was later embraced by President Barack Obama, who famously lit a diya in the Oval Office.
Biden himself hosted a Diwali reception at the vice president’s residence in 2016, and President Donald Trump continued the tradition with his own celebration in 2017.
