Diwali declared a public school holiday in New York City

The decision recognises the growth of the city’s South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities; however, there is a catch this year

People often decorate the threshold of their homes with a coloured powder design known as rangoli during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

New York City will add the Indian festival of Diwali to its list of public school holidays in recognition of the growth of the city's South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities, mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday.

Diwali, known as the festival of lights, falls in October or November, depending on the lunar calendar.

However, this year the festival is on November 12, which is a Sunday, meaning the 2023-2024 school calendar will not be affected by the change.

City officials say more that 200,000 New York City residents celebrate Diwali, which is observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists.

“This is a city that’s continuously changing, continuously welcoming communities from all over the world,” Adams said, while announcing that Diwali will join celebrations including Rosh Hashana and Lunar New Year as a day off for students. “Our school calendar must reflect the new reality on the ground.”

The push for official recognition of Diwali comes as South Asians have gained numbers and clout in New York and nationally.

The population of New York City residents categorised as Asian Indian by the Census Bureau has more than doubled in the past three decades – from 94,000 in 1990 to about 213,000 in the 2021 American Community Survey.

The holiday will become official if governor Kathy Hochul, also a Democrat, signs a bill passed by the New York state legislature earlier this month.

Adams, who pledged to made Diwali a school holiday when he ran for mayor in 2021, said he expects Hochul to sign the bill. The governor's office said Hochul, who hosted a Diwali celebration last autumn, is reviewing all he bills passed by the legislature this year.