Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump participated in a Diwali event in Virginia on October 26, in yet another attempt by his campaign to reach out to the Indian American community. Mr. Trump had earlier this month addressed an event organised by the Republican Hindu Coalition (RHA).
The Rajdhani Temple in Chantilly on the outskirts is one of the busiest in the Washington metropolitan area. Rajesh Gooty, a Hyderabad-born tech entrepreneur and organizer of the event, said the Diwali celebrations would give an opportunity for Ms. Trump to get some familiarity with the Indian culture.
“Like Christmas is celebrated by people of all sects, Diwali is celebrated by all Indians. Ivanka will get to witness some invocations, puja and Diwali gaiety. We are confident that she will be more familiar with India after this event and it will be greatly helpful when her father becomes the president,” he said. Inaugurated in 2000, the Rajdhani Temple is the oldest temple in Loudon County of Virginia, which has experienced one of the fastest growths of Indian Americans in the past decade.
