Date: December 23, 2005

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Members of the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) , Nikhil Joshi, Adeeti Joshi, Pawan Deshpande and Suhag Shukla, attended the Diwali celebration hosted White House on November 1, 2005. The event, held in the prestigious Indian Treaty room, was also attended by nearly 70 other Indian American community leaders.

Though President George W. Bush was not present at the event, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card presided over the event. Card expressed sympathy on behalf of the Administration over the serial terrorist attacks in New Delhi that occurred on October 29, 2005. To commemorate the occasion, Card then proceeded to light a diya comparing it hope symbolized by the torch of the Statue of Liberty.

HAF leaders who attended the event also distributed sweets to office of various legislators in accordance with the Deepavali tradition.