For those wondering what celebrating the “Hindu Festival of Lights,” aka Diwali, in Colorado capital Denver, US, may be like, Udemy co-founder Gagan Biyani has bared the answer close to his heart. Taking to social media on on Monday (US time), the Indian-origin American entrepreneur didn’t just share the usual “Happy Diwali” message with his followers.
Drawing parallels between what the festival looked like in America years ago and how it had amassed a jubilant status now, he wrote, “Today’s Diwali and it reminds me of why I’m Indian but also why I’m proud to be American,” on X.
Udemy co-founder Gagan Biyan proud to celebrate Diwali in USA – What he said on X
Disclosing his and his family’s whereabouts in the country, he opened up about having “preparing a feast” for the evening in Denver. While he celebrated the festival with his wife, brother and mother, a third-party’s presence was invoked in a conversation with his loved ones.
Biyani opened up about an interaction, during which his brother spoke of his 4-year-old neighbour who had been “begging to join” the festivities. Turning back time to a year-old incident, the Udemy co-founder’s brother told him about how Diwali had piqued the young child’s curiosity.
“Last year they had an extra post-Diwali celebration just for her where they did an abbreviated pooja, made Indian food (which she actually refused to eat) and put battery powered tea lights all throughout her house,” Gagan continued on the Elon Musk-led platform. “Given we’re in Denver, she’s white and has very few Indian friends so normally this would be quite a shock.”
Biyani then looked back at his own childhood in a US suburb, which consisted of only 20% Indians at the time. He further pointed to a Diwali void, as no one ever asked him about the much-loved festival. As an American of Indian descent born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, he added, “That was still the era when Indian Americans were most associated with Apu, the convenience store owner from the Simpsons.”
Despite his prior experience of missing Diwali in the US, he affirmed that present-day scenario and sentiment in the country had completely flipped upside-down to the point that he found “nothing odd” about a 4-year-old being inquisitive about his culture. Contrary to reports of rising anti-India racism and hate, especially powered by the Donald Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, Gagan added, “I’ve found that over my 30+ years here I have felt more and more curiosity and acceptance all around the country (not just in liberal enclaves like Denver and Oakland).”
Alluding to the same troubling reports, he said, “We constantly hear about how divisive America is. But I’ve traveled nearly everywhere – 60+ countries, often solo, including 15 times to India. America has its problems and it sucks to see the recent backsliding but the big picture is very clear to me.”
Before wishing everyone a “Happy Diwali,” he firmly established that no other place ever felt like “home” to him like the United States did. “No place outside of India accepts my people the way America does. I’m proud to be celebrating my culture in the land of the free and the home of the brave,” he concluded his post.
Netizens counter Indian-origin Gagan Biyani on Diwali in the US
Wishing him well on Diwali, a Professor Anna Brown’s starkly contrasting comment caught attention in the post thread. “Clearly, you haven’t live in Canada,” she said, prompting Gagan to respond, “yes somehow I always forget to make an exception for Canada which is I’ve heard is even more accepting than America!!”
Another user similarly positioned England as a better alternative to celebrate Diwali abroad. “Spent over a year in England,” Biyani replied. “Still think USA is much more accepting.”
Yet another Indian-origin netizen propped up the United Arab Emirates as an impressive Diwali destination. “Maybe visit the UAE during Diwali and you’ll see just how beautifully they embrace and accept our culture,” she wrote in the comments section. And so,-the Silicon Valley figure said, “Somehow I don’t think that counts to me. It’s essentially an extension of India the way Miami is an extension of LatAm.”
And then, another Indian-origin user, S Anil Kumar, wrote, “I’d explain to folks in the US, as a young immigrant a few decades ago, that Divali time in India is like Christmas time in the US – festive all around! I’m glad you’re getting to see much festive spirit now around Divali too.”