New York City declares Diwali a public school holiday

NEW YORK -- Diwali is officially a New York City public school holiday, Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday, reported WABC.
He was joined at the announcement at City Hall by Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar, the first Hindu American and first South Asian American woman elected to State House.
‘Today we say to over 600,000 Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain Americans, we see you. Today we say to families from India, Guyana, Trinidad, Nepal, and Bangladesh, we recognize you,’ Rajkumar said.
The announcement comes after state lawmakers approved a bill, first introduced in 2021 and reintroduced in 2022. Gov. Kathy Hochul is expected to sign the bill.
This year, Diwali will be celebrated on Sunday, November 12. Students will not get a holiday because it falls on Sunday. They can expect a holiday next year.