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Diwali is round the corner and we all look for some unique and profound messages to share with our dear ones. The proliferation of the internet has made sharing of messages extremely easy. The moment you open your inbox or social media page, you will see a long list of messages from different people and firms waiting for you. While you would like to send <keyword id="1434847" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali-Wishes" source="Orion">Diwali wishes</keyword>, find some uniquely different ones so that your words of greetings stand out from the rest. Diwali, the festival of lights is one of the most striking features of Indian culture. Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and people of other religions celebrate Diwali in their own way. Though there are several regional variations to Diwali, the essence of this festival is the triumph of good over evil. Diwali enjoins us to pray for the prosperity, happiness and welfare of the family and business. <keyword id="59579" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali-messages" source="Orion">Diwali messages</keyword> help us connect with our dear ones wherever they are. Sharing messages on Diwali is a great way to refresh the bonds we enjoy with our contacts. While Diwali festival will get over in a couple of days, the messages you share for this Diwali will stay permanently in their memories and keep wishing them a happy and prosperous life over the long year ahead. If you are wondering what to wish your near and dear ones for this Diwali, here are a few catchy messages to choose from. This Diwali, may you be blessed with good fortune as long as Ganeshji’s trunk, wealth and prosperity as big as his stomach, happiness as sweet as his laddoos and may your trouble be as small as his mouse. May the Goddess of wealth and the God of Knowledge bless you with their choicest blessings. May the auspicious festival of lights, beautifully illuminate every corner of your life by adding sparkling moments of Love, Happiness, Success, and Joy. May you enjoy this festival with your loved ones with high spirits. Sky full of fireworks, mouth full of sweets. House full of diyas &amp; a heart full of joy. We Wish You A Happy Diwali. May the festival of lights be the harbinger of joy and prosperity. As the holy occasion of Diwali is here and the atmosphere is filled with the spirit of mirth and love, here's hoping this festival of beauty brings your way, bright sparkles of contentment, that stay with you through the days ahead. Best wishes on Diwali. Diwali is a day to light diyas, candles, lights and reflect upon the inner light that dwells in your body. May you find that too! Happy Diwali. Deep jalao deep jalo aaj Diwali re, Khushi khushi sab hanste jao, aaj Diwali re! Happy Diwali to all! Wish you and your family a very very Happy Diwali! May the lights guide you and brightness never leave your side. Deepavali ka tyohar aapke jeewan mein laaye khushiyon ki bahaar.. Deepavali ki dher saari shubhkamnaayein! Diwali is a day to light diyas, candles, lights and reflect upon the inner light that dwells in your body. May you find that too! Happy Diwali. On Diwali, let wisdom guide us and remove the darkness in our life. Wish you a very happy Diwali! Wish you and your family a very very Happy Diwali! May the lights guide you and brightness never leave your side.

Diwali messages and wishes for you dear ones

A massive Diwali-Dussehra celebration festival showcasing the best of Indian culture, heritage, and values in an unparalleled manner has attracted a record-breaking crowd of more than 10,000 persons from all walks of life and ethnicities here in <keyword id="15710" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="texas" source="Orion">Texas</keyword>. The 11th Grand International Diwali-Dussehra Festival, depicting the "victory of good over evil", at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, a Greater <keyword id="100821" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="houston" source="Orion">Houston</keyword> suburb, was attended by several dignitaries, including US congressmen, judges, mayors, and commissioners on Saturday. Organised by the Shri Sita Ram Foundation (SSRF), a non-profit organisation, the epic celebration from 2012 onwards has grown tremendously over the years and continues to attract more attendees across Texas and other states every year. The foundation finds innovative and unique ways to share Indian Vedic culture and values. Last year it initiated efforts to highlight Diwali's message of "Good Over Evil" by involving consul generals of 15 countries in the Dussehra parade. This year, Texas Governor Greg Abbott sent in a video message, with Houston Mayor <keyword id="3691420" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="sylvester-turner" source="Orion">Sylvester Turner</keyword> being the Grand Marshal along with consul generals of several countries joining for the Dussehra parade. The football stadium was brilliantly transformed and decorated with millions of dazzling multi-coloured lights, lit-up main entrance gates, and colourful silk-draped vendor booths. The ceilings and walls of the concourse and field were decorated with traditional banners, flags, hangings, and pictures of several deities. The vendor booths did a brisk business in selling traditional Diwali items, including Diwali diyas, jewellery, fashion clothing, and toys. A "food bazaar" served vegetarian food from every part of <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>. This festival had special attractions for children like henna booths, face painting, balloons, moonwalks, merry-go-rounds, a petting zoo, horse buggy rides, clowns, etc. Performances like folk dances, martial arts of India, and kids in costumes of the characters from the scriptures were presented on a two-tiered 60 ft. by 40 ft. stage, with professionally installed stage lights, special effects, and huge LED screens adding a wow factor for the audience. A 24-foot-tall figure of lord Hanuman and a 35-foot-tall figure of Lord Ram was installed next to the stage. A play in English depicting the life of lord Rama and his final battle to overcome evil kept the audience glued to their seats till the end, earning a standing ovation. Arun Verma, president of SSRF, said: "India is a country of festivals and Diwali being the biggest of all festivals, we try to introduce, educate, promote and showcase the rich vibrant culture and moral value to the Indian diaspora and all Americans, while celebrating the 'Victory of Good over Evil' and 'Universal Brotherhood'." "We bring the best of the best and do it on a grand scale. You name it, and we have it over here." The festival is "open to anybody" as it also includes aspects of American culture, according to Verma. "Our belief is that the entire world is one big family and we need to treat everybody like a brother and a sister. To demonstrate that, we have invited every one of them," he said. "Looking at the overwhelming response this year and the record crowd, we may have to take this festival to an even bigger location than this football field with the capacity of 10,000 spectators" as we had to stop people from entering after it crossed the maximum capacity due to city restraints, he told PTI. The Sugar Land festival, which Verma said is the biggest of its kind in Texas, combines the two Hindu holidays of Diwali and Dussehra. The festival featured a unique multi-coloured magnificent parade with 40 floats by local temples and community organisations representing scenes, stories, and characters from Indian scriptures. Mayor <keyword id="169084" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="turner" source="Orion">Turner</keyword>, who was the Grand Marshal, lead the parade alongside the Consul General of India in Houston, Aseem Mahajan, the Consulate General of France in Houston, Valerie Baraba, Indian American Fort Bend County Judge, K P George, as well as several representatives of the Texas Congressmen and other official dignitaries. The parade included representatives of the nearly 100 consul generals in Houston who represent several foreign countries. Valerie Baraban said in a tweet that she was "thrilled to participate in the Grand 11th International Diwali-Dussehra festival alongside Mayor Sylvester Turner, CG Mahajan, and other members of the consular corps. India is one of France's major partners in the Indo-pacific region". This year's festival also celebrated the 75th anniversary of India's independence "Amrit Mahotsav". Fifteen major freedom fighters such as Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, and Subhash Chander Bose were honoured by carrying 75 Indian flags during the parade. "The entire Houston Consular Corp. joined the celebrations in the true spirit of Vasudeva Kumtumbkam, thus treating the entire world as a big family. This was depicted in the parade by 100 volunteers carrying 100 national flags of the entire Houston Consular Corp," Verma said. As November elections are around the corner, a few political candidates like Beto O'Rourke, who is running for Texas Governor position, found the stage to greet Indian Americans. Wishing everyone Diwali, he said, adding that "we celebrate this festival of lights to push out darkness and celebrate the triumph of good over evil", with each of us having a chance to "make sure we are heard in this great democracy". The Ravan Dahan, the burning of a 25-foot-tall effigy of Ravan, Kumbhakaran, and Meghnath, was held amongst the loud sound of crackers and spectacular fireworks to celebrate the occasion of the "Victory of Good Over Evil". SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/pvr-reports-net-loss-of-71-23-crore-in-q2-attributes-it-to-bollywood-hollywood-flops/articleshow/94917917.cms">PVR reports net loss of ₹71.23 crore in Q2, attributes it to Bollywood, Hollywood flops</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/arunachal-pradeshs-eagle-sanctuary-has-woodpeckers-flycatchers-and-more-but-no-eagles/articleshow/94916258.cms">Arunachal Pradesh's eagle sanctuary has woodpeckers, flycatchers and more - but no eagles</a>

With veg food stalls and henna booths, Houston's Dusshera-Diwali festival attracts 10,000 people

<keyword id="188" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="diwali" source="Orion">Diwali</keyword> celebrations have started in the United States from the iconic Times Square in New York, with the US Vice President <keyword id="180909" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="kamala-harris" source="Orion">Kamala Harris</keyword> and former president <keyword id="6354484" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="donald-trump" source="Orion">Donald Trump</keyword> celebrating the festival of lights at their residences on Friday. Eminent Indian-Americans from across the country started flying into the American Capital from Thursday night which now appears to be a week-long Diwali celebration by the <keyword id="60973" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="biden" source="Orion">Biden</keyword> Administration and members of the Congress. <keyword id="4918" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="harris" source="Orion">Harris</keyword> and the Second Gentleman have invited scores of eminent Indian-Americans, diplomats and members of the administration for the Diwali celebrations at VP residence on Friday. Three days later, US President Joe Biden and the First Lady Dr Jill Biden have invited Indian-Americans at the White House to celebrate the Diwali on Monday, October 24, itself. The Secretary of State Tony Blinken is hosting another Diwali party at the State Department with the diplomatic community on October 26. Diwali is also being celebrated at the US Capitol which as usual is being attended by eminent lawmakers. On Friday, Trump would be joined by around 200 Indian-Americans members of the Republican Hindu Coalition to celebrate Diwali at his residence in Mar-a-Lago in Florida. The event that is expected to last for a few hours on Friday night would have a Bollywood dance and guests would be served with Indian dishes. Both Harris and Trump are expected to deliver addresses to the community at their respective residence. So does Biden and Blinken. Coming just two weeks ahead of the crucial mid-term polls, politicians across the aisle want to gain the attention of the influential Indian-Americans by celebrating the festival of lights in a big way. This year it all started on October 15 from the iconic Times Square which among others was attended by the City Mayor Eric Adams, Senate Majority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer and India's Consul General in New York Randhir Jaiswal. Adams announced that Diwali will be a public-school holiday in New York City starting in 2023. This sends a message about the significance of the city's inclusiveness and the "long overdue" step will encourage children to learn about the festival of lights, he told a gathering of several hundreds. On this occasion, renowned Oncologist Dr. Dattatreyadu Nori was recognised and honoured for his lifetime excellent services to Health and Medicine by Mayor Eric Adam. "We love our community, our Indian community, and we love that we all come together here in New York with our diversity," Senator Schumer said, adding that he has been celebrating the festival of Diwali with the Indian-American community in New York for many years. South Asia Engagement Foundation has once collaborated with Durst Organisation to curate digital animation displaying Diwali imagery on the iconic World Trade Center. This digital display called All American Diwali will run continuously from October 22 to 24 from sunset until 2am. As usual Diwali party is also being organized at several State Capitals and Governor House.Diwali celebrations begin at Times Square: VP Kamala Harris and former Prez Donald Trump to attend. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-ipad-10th-gen-ipad-pro-and-apple-tv-4k-launched-in-india-price-specs-and-everything-you-need-to-know/articleshow/94958900.cms">Apple iPad 10th gen, iPad Pro, and Apple TV 4K launched in India – price, specs, and everything you need to know</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/best-electric-scooters-in-india-in-2022/articleshow/94936379.cms">Best electric scooters in India in 2022</a>

Diwali celebrations begin at Times Square:  VP Kamala Harris and former Prez Donald Trump to attend

<ul><li>Snapdeal added 6 million new buyers on its platform during the pandemic.</li><li>Its recent 5-day sale kicked-off on October 16 and ended on October 20. </li><li>Rajnish Wahi, Senior Vice President, Snapdeal tells us some of the trends the platform saw during its pre-Diwali sale, its plan to go deeper into Bharat and USPs that helped it stand out in the clutter of online sales. </li></ul>Indian consumers have always been value-conscious, who take pride in their haggling skills and with the pandemic, buyers are expecting greater value for their spends. Therefore, e-commerce player Snapdeal’s sale, which took place between October 16 to 20, focused on offering ‘Kum Mein Dum Diwali,’ i.e., value deals for lesser money. According to Snapdeal, less than 5% percent of retail is online and during this on-going <keyword id="36208" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="festive-season">festive season</keyword>, the platform’s aim is to bring more users online and give them strong reasons to switch. Snapdeal observed that consumers weren’t willing to buy premium brands this year and wanted to access the online platforms in their regional language. So, as other e-commerce platforms offered premium brands at a discounted price, Snapdeal wanted to make online shopping more inclusive for buyers across India. It focused more on non-metro cities, which is a market with potential 400 million users and shipped orders to rural places like Palasner in Maharashtra, Abdasa in Gujarat, Kalsi in Uttarakhand, Chitkul in Himachal among many others. Ahead of the sale, Snapdeal added 1300 new pin codes to go deeper into Bharat, areas which were previously unserviceable or where users were compelled to travel to nearby towns to collect their orders. It also updated its user interface by adding eight languages including Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi, and Marathi. As a result, 70% of its orders were received by sellers located beyond the top 5 metropolitan areas of the country and 90% of its orders were placed from non-metro cities. We caught up with Rajnish Wahi, Senior Vice President, Snapdeal to further understand some of trends that the platform saw during its sale. Excerpts: Q. The role of engagement and communication has never been more important, especially in today’s digital-first world. How are you making sure your communication during this year's sale is relevant to consumers? Snapdeal is sharply focused on catering to the value-conscious consumers, who see e-commerce as the connecting link between their aspirations, access and affordability. Our theme for this year’s festive sale - “Kum Mein Dum Diwali '' clearly communicates our core message - your shopping rupee has more value this year. As part of our sale preparations, we had conducted a survey of nearly 1.25 Lakh users and one of the key insights was user unwillingness to pay for brand premiums this year and instead focus on the functional value of their purchases. Based on these inputs, the festive assortment was expanded in a focused manner by on-boarding additional sellers for popular products like kitchen appliances, kitchenware, bed linen, apparel, footwear and fashion accessories like watches, wallets, etc. Shaping our sale offers around the clearly-stated expectations of our customers and conveying the same unambiguously through our festive promotions and digital marketing is the sum and substance of our festive communication. Q. This year is different. People have been observed to be judicious in spending. How has the consumer sentiment improved? While 2020 has been a volatile year, we see that there are many tailwinds that are propelling our business. The pandemic has resulted in redistribution of demand between offline and online channels, with online gaining share due to its inherent advantages of reach, convenience, large assortment and safety of buying from home. It has also accelerated the familiarity and acceptance of e-commerce amongst new buyers. With the pandemic, consumers have become more price conscious and are likely to opt for lesser-priced products, while not compromising on their quality expectations. Given all of this, we have seen two sets of buyers come on Snapdeal - one which is trading up to a better assortment and one that is trading down and opting for better functional value instead of big brands. In fact, we have added 6 million new buyers on our platform in the pandemic. We are witnessing the return of enthusiasm for festivities and it is also apparent that online channels will be a preferred medium for a larger number of buyers this year. But it will also be different this year, as more people will be price conscious and will look to spend on quality products that suit their price sensibilities. In a way, Snapdeal’s “Kum Me Dum” focus is about “offering more choices at price points better than last year”, especially for popular categories like home &amp; fashion, which has been made possible by year-long focus on expanding our value selection. Q. With the on-going festive season, many other platforms will have their Sales days too. How do you then cut the clutter and make sure you win consumers? How will you be different from the other players in the segment? Snapdeal is synonymous with value e-commerce. While others in the industry are now starting to build a value segment, we at Snapdeal have been focused on “only value” for the last three years. While other platforms are making efforts to sell branded items at discounted prices, these are still not affordable for a majority of the buyers in the country. On the other hand, we are focussed on bringing the depth and diversity of India's bazaars &amp; markets to the doorsteps of our users. On Snapdeal, buyers find endless varieties of regional and local brands that not only serve their needs, but also offer immense value at affordable prices. The result of our “Kum Mein Dum” Diwali sale bears testimony to this - more than 80% of Snapdeal’s Diwali shoppers chose to buy regional &amp; local brands on Snapdeal. The strong growth of lesser-known brands relative to national/international brands has been because of two key reasons: increased choice and a substantial price difference. Our value-focused positioning runs consistently through our selection and communication and is one the reasons why 90% of our orders flow from non-metros cities and towns across the country. Q. What are some of the other trends you are expecting to see this festive? Our first sales results are out and are reflective of how close the lives of users revolve around their homes. The sale in the home products category has grown by 30% over last year and has become the largest category on Snapdeal this year, overtaking the fashion category, which has traditionally been the top-performer at Snapdeal. The growth in the home category is propelled by popular products like kitchen appliances, kitchenware, bed &amp; bath,decor,cleaning equipment, lighting and comforters &amp; blankets etc. This growth in the fitness category reflects the extra time that people have on their hands and also underscores heightened awareness about personal health &amp; fitness. This category has grown by 45% over last year led by gym essentials like tummy trimmers, push-up bars, wrist supports, fitness gloves, hand grip strengtheners etc. Users buying sports equipment like badminton racquets &amp; cricket sets and weighing machines are also strong consumer trends. While the fashion category has also grown from previous years in terms of shipped units, the growth is less than other higher-performing categories. In the fashion category, there is an increased spending on kidswear in the festive season. . Among popular picks in Snapdeal’s Diwali sale are men’s &amp; women’s grooming products, nutritional supplements, religious items (prayer books, temples accessories etc). With the deterioration of air quality in North India, the sale of N95 masks, air-purifier filters, anti-pollution skincare items, skin moisturisers, lip balms has also increased. Snapdeal also witnessed an increase in gifting via e-commerce early in this festive season. The range of festivals starting with Karva Chauth and followed by Dhanteras, Diwali, Bhaiya Dooj and Chhath Puja have become important gifting occasions for users in various parts of the country. While in the previous years, shoppers used e-commerce channels to buy and ship to families &amp; friends in other cities, this year many shoppers in metro cities are also sending gifts to people living in the same cities. This year gift cards have also been hugely popular among people to send to their friends and family, with a 3X surge in orders as compared to the festive sale last year. These included gift cards of travel, entertainment, food and retail brands which were upto 30% off. Q. How are you working towards improving the overall consumer experience? E-Commerce in India has grown beyond the first 100 Mn largely urban, English-speaking users. A market of potentially 400 Mn users is now emerging across India’s smaller non-metro cities. This is a very diverse cohort in terms of languages spoken, literacy levels, frequency of online purchases and familiarity with technology. A large part of Snapdeal’s existing user base and new users come from this cohort and all our focus and efforts are on building the right experience that our users want. That means we work tirelessly to give them a wide array of products to choose from, and at just the right prices they are looking to spend. We also make it easy in many other ways for users to buy on Snapdeal. This includes providing interfaces on our app &amp; m-site in eight Indian languages, so that they can browse through products &amp; transact in a language of their choice. We also enable conversation with our customer service agents in multiple Indian languages. Transaction and promotional messages all are available in many Indian languages. Some other ways, in which we support our users to buy is by helping them make well-informed choices through short 10-second product videos which are far more captivating and help buyers to make decisions faster than static pictures of the products concerned, easy 7-days return, no questions asked refunds policy. We are the only platform that provides uninterrupted access to cash-on-delivery option even during the turbulent early days of pandemic lockdowns. Q. Which are your strongest markets currently? How are you planning to strengthen your presence in other markets? We have a strong pan India presence. During the current sale and consistent with Snapdeal’s positioning, more than 90% of Snapdeal’s orders were placed from non-metro cities. Populous cities like Nagpur, Vijayawada, Surat, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Visakhapatnam, Ranchi, Patna, Guwahati and others continued to drive orders on Snapdeal, but smaller cities like Sagar (Madhya Pradesh), Raniganj &amp; Durgapur (West Bengal), Patiala &amp; Gurdaspur (Punjab), Anand, Bharuch, Una, (Gujarat), Miryalaguda (Andhra Pradesh) and Bhimavaram (Telangana) also clock impressive order volumes. With our recent network expansion, Snapdeal has also shipped orders to rural places like Palasner in Maharashtra, Abdasa in Gujarat, Kalsi in Uttarakhand, Chitkul in Himachal amidst many others. Q. What are your current MAUs? More than 70 million users visit Snapdeal every month to browse and buy from our vast catalogue of 220 million plus listings. Q. What kind of target have you set for this year's sale? Do you anticipate people to buy more, considering a lot of people might have pushed buying things for the festive season? What kind of numbers do you aim to reach this year? Less than five percent of retail is online, which is an incredibly small penetration number. In our view, Diwali or not, our job to bring more buying options for our users doesn’t change. Diwali does serve as a milestone to accelerate some of our related initiatives or build virtual infrastructure to connect the dots between demand and supply in our country. This year, ahead of the festive season, we on-boarded additional sellers of popular products like kitchen appliances, kitchenware, bed linen, apparel, footwear and fashion accessories like watches, wallets, etc., as indicated by our users in a survey. In the run-up to Diwali, Snapdeal also on-boarded 5000 manufacturer-sellers who sell products like water purifiers, choppers &amp; blenders, steel &amp; copper utensils, crockery items, bedsheets, quilts, geysers, etc directly from their manufacturing units. This year, we knew more and more people would be buying online and ahead of the sale, and expanded our network to add 1300 new pin codes to go deeper into areas which were previously unserviceable or where users were compelled to travel to nearby towns to collect their orders, reaching out to 50 million additional users. Today, we are India's leading value-focused marketplace with more than 500,000 registered sellers and we cover 27000 + pin code areas across the length and breadth of the country.

Why Snapdeal targeted non-metro cities and rural India during its pre-Diwali sale

<ul><li>US President <keyword id="99719" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="joe-biden" source="Orion">Joe Biden</keyword> and First Lady Dr <keyword id="191986" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="jill-biden" source="Orion">Jill Biden</keyword> on Monday hosted a Diwali reception at the <keyword id="6356037" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="white-house" source="Orion">White House</keyword>.</li><li>More than 200 eminent Indian Americans attended the reception.</li><li>The reception saw some enthralling cultural events, including performances by sitarist Rishab Sharma and the dance troupe The Sa Dance Company.</li></ul>US President Joe <keyword id="60973" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="biden" source="Orion">Biden</keyword> and First Lady Dr Jill Biden on Monday hosted a Diwali reception at the White House in what they called the largest since the People's House started celebrating the festival during the George Bush administration. More than 200 eminent Indian Americans attended the reception at the East Room, a venue which has witnessed some of the landmark events related to the India-US relationship, including the signing of the nuclear deal and the joint press conference by then US President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November 2008. The reception saw some enthralling cultural events, including performances by sitarist Rishab Sharma and dance troupe The Sa Dance Company. The guests, dressed in traditional Indian attires such as saree, lehenga and sherwani, relished some mouthwatering Indian delicacies. The room is full at the East state dining room This is a real celebration of what the Indian American community has achieved in the United States. It's a wonderful recognition by the President and by the White House to host all of us on Diwali. I feel very privileged to be here as an Indian American, Atul Keshap, president of US India Business Council told PTI during the reception. It's an honour and a privilege to be here to celebrate Diwali. Indian Americans thank the President and the First Lady for this, said H R Shah, chairman and CEO of TV Asia, the largest South Asian television channel in the US. It was heartening to see the leaders of our vibrant Indian American community come together at the White House during Diwali to be a force for good. It was also nice to hear the president on Diwali day welcoming <keyword id="221875" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="rishi-sunak" source="Orion">Rishi Sunak</keyword> as the new prime minister of the UK, said M R Rangaswami, entrepreneur, philanthropist and founder of Indiaspora. Ajay Jain Bhutoria, a member of the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, said the event was held to recognise the South Asian community's contributions in economic development and managing Covid crisis among others. Biden has appointed a record number of over 130 Indo-Americans at various levels of the administrations, he said. Lauding the Diwali celebration, Bhutoria said it sent a message how much President Biden and this administration loves and respects the South Asian community . Earlier, welcoming the guests, Biden said it was the first Diwali reception to be held at the White House on such a scale. The incredible South Asian community all across America has helped the country emerge stronger from this pandemic, building an economy that works for everyone, teaching children and caring for elders, responding to the cry for action on climate, working to fix immigration system, defending rights and freedoms, building a more just and equitable country, serving and protecting our communities and the nation, informing, entertaining and inspiring, he said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/indias-defense-exports-touched-a-record-13000-crore-in-2021-22/articleshow/92850833.cms">India's defense exports surge to ₹13,000 crore — private companies beat govt</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/made-in-india-lightweight-combat-helicopter/articleshow/94613836.cms">Here’s everything you need to know about the made-in-India lightweight combat helicopter</a>

Joe Biden hosts biggest-ever Diwali celebration at the White House

<ul><li>Over the years, there were growing calls by the Hindu community to declare <keyword id="188" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="diwali" source="Orion">Diwali</keyword> a school holiday. </li><li>Banks said <keyword id="6355838" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="new-york" source="Orion">New York</keyword> City is home to the whole world and children from all communities and backgrounds go to school here.</li><li>Consul General of India in New York Randhir Jaiswal thanked Adams for making Diwali a school public holiday.</li></ul> In a significant decision, Diwali will be a public school holiday in New York City starting 2023, with Mayor Eric Adams saying this sends a message about the significance of the city's inclusiveness and this "long overdue" step will encourage children to learn about the festival of lights. Adams, joined by New York Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar and New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks, said Thursday that in conversations on the campaign trail around how to run the state better, he "learned so much" about the Diwali holiday and what this festival means. He said that by declaring Diwali a holiday in New York City public schools, "we wanted to send a loud and clear message to the countless number of people who acknowledge this period of time of celebration. "At the same time, this is an educational moment because when we acknowledge Diwali, we are going to encourage children to learn about Diwali. We're going to have them start talking about what it is to celebrate the festival of lights, and how to turn the light on within yourself," he said. Consul General of India in New York Randhir Jaiswal thanked Adams for making Diwali a school public holiday. "This had been a long pending <keyword id="15308237" type="TOPIC" weightage="60" keywordseo="Demand" source="TOPIC" sourcekeytype="economy,investopedia" meta.keywordsubtype="null" meta.msid="92562122" meta.seopath="d/demand" meta.entityname="Demand" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="demand">demand</keyword> of the Indian-American community. The recognition gives a deeper meaning to diversity and pluralism in New York City while allowing people from all walks of life to experience, celebrate and enjoy Indian ethos and heritage," he told PTI. Rajkumar, the first South Asian-American woman ever to be elected to a state office in New York, said that today she is proud to say that "our time has come. The time has come to recognise over 200,000 New Yorkers of the Hindu, Buddhist, <keyword id="28599" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="sikh" source="Orion">Sikh</keyword> and Jain faiths who celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights." Adams said "as we deal with so much darkness that is around us, we fail to realise the overwhelming amount of light that is around us. And when we take this period to acknowledge Diwali, we are acknowledging the light that is within us, the light that clearly can push away darkness and that is why this is so significant." Adams added that the city has identified public holidays like <keyword id="15315768" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="eid-and-lunar-new-year" source="Orion">Eid and Lunar New Year</keyword>. "We do it with so many other days and so many other cultures that we acknowledge. It is long overdue to say to our Hindu, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist students and communities that, we see you, we acknowledge you. The inclusiveness of this city is extremely significant and this is our opportunity to say that in a loud way." Over the years, there were growing calls by the Hindu community to declare Diwali a school holiday given the hundreds of thousands of Indians living in the area. Once the legislation goes through, Diwali will be a school holiday in the City of New York starting next year. Rajkumar noted that people have said that there is simply not enough room in the <keyword id="15315767" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="new-york-city-school" source="Orion">New York City School</keyword> calendar to have a Diwali school holiday. This week, Rajkumar introduced legislation in the state <keyword id="15311128" type="TOPIC" weightage="60" keywordseo="Capital" source="TOPIC" sourcekeytype="finance,investopedia" meta.keywordsubtype="null" meta.msid="92540240" meta.seopath="c/capital" meta.entityname="Capital" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="capital">capital</keyword> that makes room for Diwali in the school calendar. She said her legislation removes Anniversary Day, an "obscure and antiquated" day created in the 1800s so that it can be replaced with Diwali, "celebrated by a growing number of New Yorkers." "When this is done, the New York City Department of Education will be able to institute the Diwali holiday on the school calendar," she said, adding that she has brought this bill to the table so that all South Asian and Indo-Caribbean New Yorkers will have a seat at the table. According to New York State education laws, there must be a minimum of 180 days of school instruction. However, in order to meet this 180-day minimum requirement, no more holidays could be instituted in the school calendar. Rajkumar said that by removing the antiquated Anniversary Day school holiday that is observed by no one, her legislation makes the room for Diwali to be a school holiday while also meeting the 180-day minimum requirement for days of school instruction. She thanked Adams for his support, saying this is the first time in the history of the city that a mayor has committed to making Diwali a school holiday. "For over two decades South Asians and Indo-Caribbeans in New York have been fighting for the Diwali school holiday. I stand on the shoulders of those advocates. And now we are finally going to realise that goal," she said. "Next week we will celebrate Diwali, a celebration of good over evil, light over darkness, of the human ability to overcome, exemplified by <keyword id="52950" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="rama" source="Orion">Rama</keyword>'s defeat of evil. We will celebrate the Hindu principles of interfaith, harmony, love, and tolerance for all New Yorkers. The same Hindu principles inspired the great American civil <keyword id="15315769" type="TOPIC" weightage="60" keywordseo="Rights" source="TOPIC" sourcekeytype="entertainment,investopedia" meta.keywordsubtype="null" meta.seopath="r/rights" meta.entityname="Rights" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="rights">rights</keyword> hero, <keyword id="95368" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="martin-luther-king" source="Orion">Martin Luther King</keyword>. We will celebrate our culture's place in the great civil rights tradition of our country. The sky is the limit for our community," she said. Banks said New York City is home to the whole world and children from all communities and backgrounds go to school here. "And it is important that we honour and we recognise all of our young people. And so the recognition of Diwali is yet another opportunity for us to begin to celebrate, to uplift and to honour those young people, their family and their faith. The celebration of light, the triumph of light over darkness is critically important." SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/ed-freezes-bitcoins-worth-rs-7-12-crore-in-e-nuggets-gaming-app-case/articleshow/95002038.cms">ED freezes Bitcoins worth Rs 7.12 crore in E-nuggets gaming app case</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/diwali-celebrations-begin-at-times-square-vp-kamala-harris-and-former-prez-donald-trump-to-attend/articleshow/95001470.cms">Diwali celebrations begin at Times Square: VP Kamala Harris and former Prez Donald Trump to attend</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/should-you-buy-gold-this-dhanteras/articleshow/94997439.cms">Should you buy gold this Dhanteras?</a>

Diwali to be public school holiday in New York City from 2023, Mayor says

<ul><li><keyword id="15306772" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="chinese-scammers" source="Orion">Chinese scammers</keyword> found a new way to hack into your personal information.</li><li><keyword id="386981" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="scammers" source="Orion">Scammers</keyword> are using a new type of adware targeting prominent brands and tricking their customers into fraudulent and phishing scams.</li><li>Here’s how you can stay safe.</li></ul>If you have received social media links to websites that offer or promise free Diwali gifts, then that website is most likely trying to steal your personal information such as bank account details, contact number, address, Aaadhar card number, and more. According to Cert-in, Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, recent <a href="https://cert-in.org.in/">advisory</a>, a new type of adware are targeting prominent brand and tricking its customers into fraudulent and phishing scams. Fake messages are been circulating on various social media platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, and SMS. These messages falsely claim a festive offer luring users into gift links and prizes. This new type of scam mostly targets women and asks to share the link among peers on Telegram/ WhatsApp/ Instagram accounts, said the CERT-In in the advisory. The national cybersecurity agency also said that most of these websites use Chinese (.cn) domains, including (.xyz, .top) extensions. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="How does this scam work?" comment="subhead" text="How does this scam work?">How does this scam work?</cmsannotation> The victim receives a message containing a link to a scam website similar to the websites of popular brands. Also, the link could come from other victims who have been asked to share the link with their friends and family. Once the user clicks on the link, they are greeted by a false congratulatory message. After this, users are asked to fill in details in a questionnaire to claim their free gift. In the questionnaire, the attacker entices the user to give sensitive information like personal details like bank details, passwords, and OTPs. After a victim fills in the questionnaire, they are asked to select a gift from a set of items. Once a user does that, they are greeted by another false congratulations message. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Compromised websites" comment="subhead" text="Compromised websites">Compromised websites</cmsannotation> hXXp://balancesynthesize[.]cn/ XXp://deadlineconserve[.]cn/ hXXp://noticeablerefute[.]cn/ hXXps://8yue22[.]cn/ hxXps://talentIlL.]top/ <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="How to avoid this scam" comment="subhead" text="How to avoid this scam">How to avoid this scam</cmsannotation> <ul><li>To avoid such scams, do not browse through un-trusted websites or click on un-trusted links and be cautious while clicking on links by any unsolicited emails and SMSs. </li><li>Only click on links or URLs that indicate a clear website domain. When in doubt, you can search for the organization’s website directly to ensure that websites are legitimate or not.</li><li>Always remember, legitimate websites will never ask for your bank login information or bank card information by email or SMS. If you receive such a request, you are mostly dealing with threats.</li><li>Keep your personal information safe, attackers can use social media profiles to gather information and make targeted attacks against you.</li><li>Make sure your passwords are strong, and personal information such as credit card numbers and bank login details are not shared with anyone.</li><li>Download apps only from Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.</li><li>Set transaction limits for cards, UPI accounts, and other financial transactions to reduce funds’ exposure.</li><li>Don’t click on pop-up ads.</li><li>Last but not least, never share an OTP with anyone.</li></ul>SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/soon-you-might-be-able-to-touch-and-feel-the-online-products-through-your-smartphone/articleshow/94961160.cms">Soon you might be able to touch and feel the online products through your smartphone</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/with-303-vulnerabilities-google-chrome-is-the-riskiest-browser-of-2022-atlas-vpn/articleshow/94673834.cms">With 303 vulnerabilities, Google Chrome is the riskiest browser of 2022: Atlas VPN</a>

Here’s how to stay safe from Chinese scammers releasing malicious Diwali-themed campaigns targeting Indians

<ul><li><keyword id="188" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali">Diwali</keyword>, the festival of lights, is not just about crackers anymore. </li><li>People have become conscious and are stepping away from the pollution making crackers. </li><li>It’s also about digital payments, card parties and more this Diwali.</li></ul>Everyone has childhood memories of Diwali, you aren’t much concerned about the puja but definitely about the prasad (offering to the deity), the end of the puja, also means it’s time for crackers with your siblings. But over the years, Diwali has changed. The cool Diwali In some places, Diwali has now taken a cool turn. In the metro cities, the onset of Diwali means card parties have begun (get your outfits in order, remember – don’t burn a patakha (cracker),be one). Delhi’s roads in the night are not so lonely with cars going to or returning from these oh-so-fancy parties. And of course, how can we forget the Diwali hashtag for the party? Corporates too get in the festive fervour as they try to outdo each other with the Diwali celebration in their offices and the gifts they give away to their employees. The digital Diwali No, we are not just talking about the Diwali tradition of going to people’s homes to wish now being converted to WhatsApp messages and video calls. But you do wake up on the day, to the scores of WhatsApp forwards wishing you a happy Diwali. But another way technology has development that has worked for the good for Diwali is digital payments. Over the years, with people ditching cash for their Diwali shopping. A recent survey conducted by ACI Worldwide, a leading global provider of real-time electronic payment and banking solutions, showed that during the festive season, digital payments are the preferred payment option for 42 percent of consumers in India, leading card payments (29%) and cash (27%). The responsible Diwali Today, Diwali also means pollution is going to hit the danger mark. So the environmentally conscious have stopped bursting crackers and are also spreading the message to reduce the use of crackers. In Delhi, the hotbed of air pollution, the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has requested people to ditch the crackers and get together at Connaught Place for a light and laser show along with food. Along with pollution, crackers are also dangerous for animals. The loud sound from crackers leaves dogs scared, while the burning crackers also put stray animals in danger. But there’s one thing that seems to remain constant about Diwali – the festival of lights brings family and friends together, marks the beginning of the end-of-the-year festivities and for people all across India – there’s no one way to celebrate Diwali.

Cool, responsible and digital – here’s how Diwali has changed over the years

Festival messages help us stay connected with our near and dear ones. People exchange messages, greetings and wishes during festivals in order to share their joys and wishes with their contacts. The internet and digital technology have made it extremely easy to send festival messages. A few years back, selling greeting cards was a thriving business. People bought pre-printed greeting cards from shops, scribbled their personal messages in them and posted them to their dear ones. Today, we no more see any shops for greeting cards. People use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, Email and messaging apps to send festival messages. In this way, you can send personalized messages instantly without spending much time and effort. Above all, sending messages on the internet does not cost you anything. As you do not have to buy printed cards, your messages have become environment friendly. Dhanteras also known as Dhantrayodashi is an important day that marks the beginning of the five day Diwali celebrations. On the day of Dhanteras, people buy silver, gold, utensils, vehicles, furniture and household items as a sign of inviting good luck into homes. Pujas performed on Dhanteras aim at seeking the blessings of goddess Lakshmi and Kuber for the welfare of the family members. Greet your dear ones on Dhanteras with some apt messages choosing from the ones below. - May this Dhanteras bring in new dreams, fresh hopes, undiscovered avenues, different perspectives, everything bright and beautiful and fill your days with pleasant surprises and moments. Happy Dhanteras. - May Goddess Lakshmi bless your business to do well in spite of all odds like the enduring charms of gold and diamonds. Happy Dhanteras 2023! - May your life be full of happiness and harmony with enough wealth to give you all comforts you ever wished. Stay blessed. Happy Dhanteras! - Wishing a very Happy Dhanteras to everyone. May the blessings of Lord Kuber and Lord Dhanvantari showers on you always. - May this Dhanteras bring new dreams, new hopes and fill your days with pleasant surprises and moments. Happy Dhanteras to you and your family! - DHANTERAS ka shubh din aya. sabke liye nayi khushiya laya. LAKSHMI GANESH viraje apke ghar me. sada rahe sukho ki chhaya.HAPPY DHANTERAS - Warm wishes on the auspicious occasion of Dhanteras to you. May Lord Kuber shower you with wealth and prosperity for a beautiful life. - Sun glows for a day, candle for an hour, matchstick for a minute, but a wish can glow days forever. So here is my wish for a glowing Dhanteras. Happy Dhanteras. - God’s blessing may come as a surprise and how much you receive depends on how much your heart can believe. May you be blessed beyond what you expect. Happy Dhanteras! - Ye dhanteras kuch khaas ho, Dilon mein khushiyaan, ghar mein sukh ka vaas ho, here, moti par aapka raaj ho, mitey duriyaan, sab aapke paas ho. Happy Dhanteras!

Dhanteras 2023 messages and wishes for your dear ones

A new 5 pound coin to commemorate the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled by Chancellor Rishi Sunak to mark the Hindu festival of Diwali. Available in a range of standards, including gold and silver, the special collectors' coin was designed by Heena Glover and features an image of a lotus, India's national flower, alongside one of Gandhi's most famous quotes -- "My life is my message". Building on the enduring relationship and cultural connections between the UK and India, it is the first time that Gandhi has been commemorated on an official UK coin with the final design chosen by Sunak, who is the Master of the Mint. "This coin is a fitting tribute to an influential leader who inspired millions of people around the world," he said. "As a practicing Hindu, I am proud to unveil this coin during Diwali. Mahatma Gandhi was instrumental in the movement for Indian independence and it is fantastic to have a UK coin commemorating his remarkable life for the first time." The coin, which goes on sale, is part of the Royal Mint's wider Diwali collection, which includes 1g and 5g gold bars in henna-style packaging, and the UK's first gold bar depicting Lakshmi -- the Hindu Goddess of wealth. The 20g gold Lakshmi bar was designed in partnership with the Hindu community in South Wales, where the Royal Mint is based. The Mint will join the celebrations at the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Cardiff, where worshippers will offer prayers to goddess Lakshmi and lord Ganesha for the coming year. Chief Customer Officer for The Royal Mint, Nicola Howell, said: "As we approach Diwali celebrations, we are delighted to unveil the first official UK coin commemorating the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. The beautiful design builds on the enduring relationship and cultural connections between the UK and India." The announcement comes as India is celebrating its 75th year of Independence this year. Last year, the Chancellor commissioned the new "Diversity Built Britain" 50p coin following discussion with the 'We Too Built Britain' campaign, which works for fair representation of minority communities' contributions across all walks of life. Around 10 million of the coins, which recognise and celebrate Britain's diverse history, went into circulation in October 2020. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/three-indian-teens-shortlisted-for-international-childrens-peace-prize/articleshow/87523376.cms">Three Indian teens shortlisted for International Children's Peace Prize</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/who-approves-bharat-biotechs-covaxin-for-emergency-use/articleshow/87510108.cms">WHO approves Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for emergency use after a long wait</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/indian-government-cut-duties-on-petrol-and-diesel-and-other-bjp-states-follow-suit/articleshow/87515906.cms">Indian government cut duties on petrol and diesel and other BJP states follow suit</a>

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Diwali messages and wishes for you dear ones

BI India Bureau

With veg food stalls and henna booths, Houston's Dusshera-Diwali festival attracts 10,000 people

PTI

Diwali celebrations begin at Times Square: VP Kamala Harris and former Prez Donald Trump to attend

PTI

Why Snapdeal targeted non-metro cities and rural India during its pre-Diwali sale

Karuna Sharma

Joe Biden hosts biggest-ever Diwali celebration at the White House

PTI

Diwali to be public school holiday in New York City from 2023, Mayor says

PTI

Here’s how to stay safe from Chinese scammers releasing malicious Diwali-themed campaigns targeting Indians

Rahul Verma

Cool, responsible and digital – here’s how Diwali has changed over the years

Sanchita Dash

Dhanteras 2023 messages and wishes for your dear ones

BI India Bureau

Britain's five-pound Diwali coin has Mahatma Gandhi's quote and a lotus

IANS

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