'In India, Diwali holidays are 1,2 days': Edelweiss' Radhika Gupta advocates 'longer break'

Radhika Gupta, the Managing Director and CEO of Edelweiss Financial Services Group, has suggested that India should have a longer festive break during Diwali. She has said that a longer festive break would give people a chance to spend time with their families and friends.

Expressing her views via X (formerly Twitter), Gupta compared the relatively short break with the longer festive holidays observed in Western countries and China during Christmas and New Year. She focused on the disparity between these extended breaks and the brief holiday period for Diwali in India, which traditionally lasts only 1-2 days.

"In all my years living in the West, holiday season was long and extended.  Christmas time off started after the 15th of December and continued through the New Year.  In China, Chinese New Year has a long holiday. Unfortunately in India, Diwali holidays are usually 1 or 2 days in corporate offices.  In years like this one when Diwali falls on a weekend, there is one day off.  Many of us travel to be with families across the country, sometimes far and wide," Ms Gupta tweeted.

"While we can take the days off, is there a care for a longer festive break, maybe a week long one, as a country, so we can enjoy the festive season and family time without counting days?" she further added.

In India, the Diwali holiday at educational institutes lasts about two weeks. However, most government and business offices are closed for a few days.

Gupta has said that India is a very festival-loving country, and Diwali is one of the most important festivals in the Indian calendar. She has said that a longer festive break would allow people to travel, shop, and celebrate with their loved ones.

This year, the off period was limited to a single day because Diwali fell on a weekend.

According to Gupta, this makes it challenging for working professionals who travel to distant regions of the nation to celebrate the holiday with their loved ones.

Several users reacted to the post and shared their thoughts and opinions about the Diwali holidays.

"Absolutely necessary. But the issue is that we have many other festivals. Cumulatively, we consume the same number of holidays as the west when combined with other public holidays. Can corporates make a Diwali fortnight? Absolutely yes! In that case they will have to clawback some of those other festive holidays. In my view employees will agree too. Great time to travel, plan vacations and get that necessary break. We also have the right to say “Happy Holidays” with no specific attribution to any festival," a user wrote.

"It's amazing how different cultures celebrate holidays. Each one brings its own unique traditions and customs," commented another. "In many of the MNCs, no holiday as Diwali will be celebrated on Sunday," said a third user.

"Why do we need government to do everything. If we want a week long holiday then we should ask our employer for that. And if the emplor is not giving it then one can deal in appropriate ways. Anyways we should not ask anything to be mandated by government," added another one.

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