Salt Lake City (USA): Diwali, a major Hindu festival, will be proclaimed as one of Utah State festivals.

Rajan Zed, prominent Hindu chaplain and Indo-American leader, presented a memorandum to Utah Governor Jon Huntsman at his office in Salt Lake City yesterday requesting to proclaim Diwali as one of State of Utah festivals, replying to which Governor Huntsman said, of course, why not.

Huntsman told Zed that Utah was the only State in USA where Diwali had been celebrated in Governor's mansion for the last three years. Huntsman told Zed that he had adopted a daughter from India, visited various temples in India, kept nimbu-chutney in his refrigerator all the time, and showed Zed a large handmade folk painting from India displayed in his office.

Zed, who met the Governor Huntsman after reciting first Hindu prayer of Utah Senate yesterday, presented a copy of "Srimad Bhagawad Geeta", ancient Hindu scripture, to him on the occasion. About 900 Hindu families currently reside in Utah.