New York City Schools to Recognize Diwali as Official Holiday Starting 2023

New York City public school students will now have the day off to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.
The festival is celebrated by some 600,000 New Yorkers every autumn and symbolizes the spiritual triumph of good over evil.
The bill was spearheaded by Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, the first Hindu and Indian-American elected to office in Albany.
The new holiday will replace "Queens Day" on the school holiday calendar.
The measure still has to be inked into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul.