Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to Mark Diwali with Music, Dancing and a Recognition Ceremony for Indian Community Leaders

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Indian Consul General Dr. M. Anand Prakash will host a Diwali celebration featuring music and dance.

Indian American community leaders, activists and entrepreneurs will also be recognized for their outstanding contributions to the cultural, civic and economic life of Cook County.

The event was held at 2 p.m. on Friday, November 13, 2026, in the Cook County Treasurer’s Office, 118 N. Clark St., Room 112, Chicago.

Pappas will present certificates of recognition to individuals who have made meaningful impacts in business, education, public service, advocacy, and the arts.

Honorees represent the vibrancy and economic vitality of the Indian American community across the region.

Diwali, known as the Festival of Lights, is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in India and among Indian communities worldwide. The five-day celebration symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.

It is marked by lighting lamps, sharing meals, exchanging gifts, and offering prayers for prosperity and peace.

In the Chicago area, where more than 250,000 residents trace their roots to India, Diwali holds deep cultural and spiritual significance for the second-largest Indian diaspora in America.

“The Indian American community plays an essential role in shaping the identity of Cook County,” said Pappas.

“I believe in the power of positive thinking, so Diwali is a favorite annual celebration. It’s a time to come together and reflect on the good in the world—and to honor individuals who bring light into the lives of others through their service, leadership, and accomplishments.”

The Diwali celebration at the Treasurer’s Office is part of an ongoing effort by Pappas to recognize the diverse communities that make Cook County one of the most dynamic and inclusive places in the nation.

Honorees: Dinesh Kapoor, Chicago Indo US Lions Club Foundation; Subramanian Iyer, Chicago Indo US Lions Club Foundation; Pranav Mathur, Chicago Indo US Lions Club Foundation; Brij Kukreja, Chicago Indo US Lions Club Foundation; Suther Sakhuja, Chicago Indo US Lions Club Foundation; Dr Hirak Trivedi, community advocate; Jesse Singh, business owner; Nick and Olga Gakhol, business owners; Sahaj Patel, youth service advocate; Sunny Trivedi, youth service advocate; Avani Trivedi, community advocate; Brij Sharma,United Punjabis of America; Atul Wahi, President, United Punjabis of America; Madhu Uppal, United Punjabis of America; Ashwani Mahajan, United Punjabis of America; Rosey Bhasin, United Punjabis of America

Click here to subscribe FREE to Ray Hanania's Columns

Author
Recent Posts

Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at [email protected].

Follow RayHanania at Twitter