Ami Bera, the newly elected Indian-American member of the US House of Representatives and two other Democrats, have co-sponsored a resolution for the issue of a postage stamp to mark Diwali.
Co-sponsored by Carolyn Maloney and Grace Meng, the Diwali Stamp resolution urges
the United States Postal Service (USPS) to create a stamp honouring the Indian festival of lights, Diwali.
Diwali is observed in America, and throughout the world, by Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, and Buddhists, but the USPS has not yet recognized Diwali with a stamp as it has other major religious holidays such as Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Eid, it says.
"Additionally, one of the world's oldest religious holidays, Diwali symbolises the triumph of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance and it deserves to be honoured with a postage stamp of its own."
Bera, who was among the guests at a reception hoisted by the Indian ambassador Nirupama Rao to celebrate India's Republic Day, said: "Congratulations to India on 63 years of democracy."
As the world's largest democracy, India has a special relationship with the world's oldest democracy, the United States, said Bera, the third ever Indian-American elected to the US House.