1,000 Guests Enjoy NY Mayor’s Diwali Celebration

India-West News Desk

NEW YORK, NY – On October 24, Mayor Eric Adams welcomed over 1,000 guests to Gracie Mansion for an annual Diwali celebration, a vibrant event that was geared to showcase the cultural diversity and community spirit of New York City.

State assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar, declared that Adams was known as a “Hindu mayor” and that he was like Arjuna, the famed warrior from the Mahabharat. She recalled the mayor’s efforts at making Diwali a school holiday and his quick responses to hate crimes at temples.

Adams praised and expressed his gratitude to the Indian American community for their contributions and noted the historic appointment of Meera Joshi as New York City’s first Indian deputy mayor.

He exhorted the community, “And don’t lose sight that running for president is a woman with Indian and African-American background. You are moving at a rate that no one thought was imaginable. So you can never go back. You can never find yourself back into the shadows of the American dream. You must continue your progress.”

The celebration featured an array of delectable offerings, with World Vegan Vision, founded by H.K. and Malti Shah, providing plant-based sweets and savory dishes. The gathering emphasized the need for plant based living.