Diwali at 10 Downing Street for Imperial Teaching Fellow

Dr Deesha Chadha, Diwali ready outside 10 Downing Street

Dr Deesha Chadha OBE was invited to attend the 2024 Diwali event hosted by UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer.

Dr Chadha, Senior Teaching Fellow with the Department of Chemical Engineering, also sits on the National Executive Committee of the Hindu Forum of Britain and currently co-chairs both the Faiths Forum for London and the Faith and Belief Sector Panel of the London Resilience Board.

Invited to attend a celebratory evening with the UK Prime Minister (PM) Keir Starmer at Number 10 Downing Street in this capacity, the event included prayers and a speech by the PM. 

On the significance of attending, Dr Chadha said: “The Prime Minister acknowledged the importance and necessity of our diverse community. For me, personally, the significance of attending cannot be under-estimated. As a practicing Hindu, Diwali is our most auspicious and sacred festival, and for the Prime Minister to openly and warmly welcome individuals from the Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities to his home, and celebrate alongside us, feels very special.”

The Prime Minister acknowledged the importance and necessity of our diverse community. Dr Deesha Chadha OBE Senior Teaching Fellow, Department of Chemical Engineering

Dr Chadha has a strong background in services to faith communities.

In 2020 Dr Chadha was awarded an OBE for her voluntary role as co-chair of the Faiths Forum for London. She was elected co-chair in 2019 and has served as a member of the National Executive Committee of the Hindu Forum of Britain for over 10 years.  

About Dr Deesha Chadha

Dr Chadha studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Surrey and graduated in 1998. In 2005, she gained a PhD in engineering education. 

Dr Chadha’s career in higher education spans 20 years and she has held various leadership roles including Programme Director for the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice at King’s College London from 2013 to 2016. Dr Chadha has also been a National Assessor for the Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service for over two years.  

At Imperial, Dr Chadha is involved in the curriculum review process the Department of Chemical Engineering. She is also an active researcher in this area and teaches some of the technical content of the programme.   

Diwali | Festival of Lights 

Diwali, also known as Dipawali, is known as one of India's biggest festivals of the year. It is a major religious festival in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, celebrated globally. 

The festival gets its name from the row of clay lamps that people light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness.

Further images from the PM's Diwali reception.