California on Tuesday became the third US state to designate Indian festival – Diwali – as an official statewide holiday.
According to Associated Press, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill on Diwali into
law. The bill will come into effect on January 1.
As per the law, the state employees will be able to take the day off and public school students will get an excused absence to celebrate the holiday.
Pennsylvania was the first US state to make Diwali a statewide holiday in 2024. The next state was Connecticut.
AP quoted assembly member Ash Kalra, a Democrat from San Jose who coauthored the bill with Darshana Patel, an assembly member from San Diego, as saying: “To have South Asian children be able to proudly celebrate and share it with others is a significant moment.”
According to 2025 Pew survey, 960,000 out of the nation’s Indian population of 4.9 million live in California.
“The provisions that allow students to take the day off without repercussion and state employees to take paid leave are important leaps toward making Diwali truly accessible to those who celebrate,” said Samir Kalra, managing director of the Hindu American Foundation.
Ajay Bhutoria, former advisor to President Biden for AANHPI Commission, a prominent Silicon Valley entrepreneur, philanthropist, and dedicated advocate for the Indian American community, lauded the judgement.In a post on X, he said, “Thank you Gavin Newsom, Governor for Making Diwali a California State Holiday by signing AB 268 Huge thanks to Assembly member Ash Kalra and Darshana Patel for championing this bill and taking to finish line , celebrating light, unity and our diverse communities.”