From diyas to a Diwali hug: How Help2Live brought Diwali to Cyprus’s presidential palace for the first time

Nicosia: Diwali has travelled the world with India’s diaspora, but on November 9 it reached a place it had never been before: the Presidential Palace of Cyprus. The first Diwali celebration in the palace’s history, Cyprus Glows: Diwali 2026, was organised by the Help2Live Charity Foundation, founded by Mr. Dipak Kumar, in collaboration with the High Commission of India in Cyprus.

H.E. President Nikos Christodoulides and First Lady Philippa Karsera opened the palace to around 150 guests. Among them were Bishop Gregorios of Mesaoria, the Attorney General, Cypriot ministers and MPs, diplomats, business leaders and members of the island’s Indian community.

The hug everyone is talking about

The evening’s defining image was not a speech or a ceremony. It was Mr. Dipak Kumar wrapping H.E. President Christodoulides in a warm hug. That moment marked the start of the #DiwaliHug.

Why a hug? Because, as Mr. Dipak Kumar sees it, it carries the same message as Diwali itself. The festival is about light overcoming darkness, and about remembering that what we share is far bigger than what separates us. A hug, like a diya’s flame, asks no one where they come from, what they believe or what language they speak. It simply reaches people.

In a world that too often feels divided, he calls the #DiwaliHug a reminder that love will always win over division.
Now he wants everyone to join in. His invitation to people across Cyprus and beyond: hug a family member, a friend or even a stranger, share the moment using #DiwaliHug, and tag @indiansincyprus.

The man whose name means “lamp”

Mr. Dipak Kumar’s welcome address gave the evening its heart. He thanked H.E. the President for opening the palace doors to Diwali for the first time, calling it an honour for everyone present and a gift to every Indian who lives in Cyprus.

He told guests that in Sanskrit his name means a diya. “This is my relationship with Diwali,” he said. When he started Help2Live 15 years ago, entirely with his own money, he wanted to be true to that name by lighting a lamp wherever the darkness is deepest.

What Help2Live does
Over the years, the foundation has quietly become part of Cypriot life:
•    Children: care and education for orphans
•    Cancer patients: a full rooftop garden at the German Medical Institute, where patients sit with family and look out to sea
•    The elderly: regular visits to care homes
•    The pandemic: groceries and medicines delivered to people who could not leave home
•    Police families: years of support for families of Cyprus Police officers who lost their lives
•    Young people: sponsorship of football, volleyball and marathons

“We cannot always add days to our life, but we believe we can add light to those days,” he said of the rooftop garden.

He made a point of sharing the credit. Help2Live works with other charities and foundations, he said, because “this was never about one name”. And, in a line that captured the spirit of the evening, he reminded guests that a lamp never asks whose house it is lighting.

Moments later, the host announced that Help2Live would donate €20,000 (about ₹21 lakh) to two Cypriot causes: €10,000 to the Alkionides Foundation and €10,000 to Radiomarathon.

Krishna, Sudama and an all-weather friend

Mr. Dipak Kumar also spoke about the bond between the two countries. He reminded the audience that Lilla Irene Clerides, wife of late Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides, was born in India.

Describing Cyprus as India’s all-weather friend, he compared the relationship to the legendary friendship of Krishna and Sudama. With folded hands, he appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help Cyprus with electricity, direct flights and security, saying even modest investment could make a big difference.

“India is the land that gave me birth, and Cyprus is the land that gave me purpose,” he said, before signing off with Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: the world is one family.

President and High Commissioner thank Mr. Dipak Kumar

H.E. President Christodoulides thanked Mr. Dipak Kumar for his support to the Cyprus Glows – Diwali event at the Presidential Palace of Cyprus. He said the celebration reflected the close ties between Cyprus and India and the contribution of the Indian community to the island. Pointing to Prime Minister Modi’s 2025 visit, his own state visit to India in May 2026 and the upcoming India–EU trade agreement, he said: “The light we create together can reach much further than what each of us could create alone.”

India’s High Commissioner to Cyprus, H.E. Manish, greeted the audience with “Namaste, Kalispera, and Happy Diwali”. He thanked the President and First Lady, and thanked Mr. Dipak Kumar for his support to the Cyprus Glows – Diwali event at the Presidential Palace of Cyprus. Help2Live’s work, he said, reminds us that generosity belongs at the heart of prosperity.

Dance, food and music

The President, the First Lady and the High Commissioner lit the ceremonial lamp together on stage. Guests enjoyed Indian dance performances and a spread of Indian food, and Greek music favourites Giorgos Theofanous and Giorgos Papadopoulos closed the night with a concert.

A first for Cyprus, a proud moment for Indians abroad, and a hug that is now inviting the world to join in.

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