Diwali at Times Square

What Diwali at Times Square does

Diwali at Times Square (DATS) is an annual cultural festival held at 46th-48th Street & Broadway in Times Square, New York City, widely recognized by American media as the largest Diwali celebration outside of India and the second-largest event in Manhattan after the New Year's Eve Ball Drop. The event was founded in 2013 by EventGuru Inc. (a subsidiary of ASB Communications) and is led by founder Neeta Bhasin; it is produced by a small core team of 1-10 employees and operates as a for-profit event and sponsorship-driven business rather than a technology company.

DATS generates revenue primarily through corporate sponsorships — with Mastercard, Kia America, and Procter & Gamble serving as presenting/flagship sponsors — supplemented by media partnership arrangements (Colors TV is the official TV Media Partner; Zee5 and Awesome TV provide additional broadcast and streaming distribution). Sponsorship pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; organizations are directed to contact via a dedicated sponsorship email and phone numbers. Distribution occurs across three channels: a free public live event at Times Square, a TV broadcast via Colors TV reaching over 4.5 million people, and live streaming for virtual attendance, with cumulative media impressions exceeding 600 million across TV, print, and online coverage including CBS News NY, CBS News National, Pix11, and Yahoo.

The organization has accumulated institutional recognition that functions as a defensible civic and reputational moat: NYC declared October 29, 2023 as 'Diwali at Times Square Day,' Diwali became an official NYC School Holiday in 2023, the festival is in the Congressional Record of Capitol Hill, and NYC has been an official partner since 2024 with Mayor Eric Adams participating. Beyond the core event, the parent organization (EventGuru / ASB Communications) operates the Sammaan For All charitable foundation and produces social media shows ('Neeta Bhasin Show,' 'Desis in New York'), positioning DATS as the flagship asset within a broader South Asian-focused event production portfolio.

Name

Diwali at Times Square

Legal name

Diwali at Times Square

Website

https://diwalitimessquare.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Diwali at Times Square is an annual cultural festival in New York City, founded in 2013 by EventGuru Inc. (ASB Communications), serving the 5.2 million-strong US Indian American community and global diaspora through music, dance, and cultural programming funded by corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Event Production

akta.pro primary industry

Religious & Spiritual Festivals/Observances (Public Events) (MPAGAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

National/Seasonal Holiday Festivals (New Year, Harvest, Winter Markets) (MPAGAEAD), Community Parades, Carnivals & Street Fairs (MPAGAEAE)

Keywords

• Cultural festival production
• Event sponsorship marketing
• Multicultural live events
• South asian cultural events
• Event production services

Headquarters

HQ city

New City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors pay to associate their brands with the largest Diwali celebration outside of India, gaining access to the Indian American consumer market. Sponsors receive brand visibility at the Times Square event, inclusion in event marketing materials, and recognition in press coverage.
2. Media Partnerships: TV networks and media outlets partner with the event for content distribution and advertising revenue opportunities, with Colors TV serving as the official TV media partner.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Diwali at Times Square is an annual cultural festival held at 46th-48th Street & Broadway in Times Square, New York City, celebrating Diwali through live music, dance performances, and cultural showcases. Founded in 2013 and recognized as the largest Diwali celebration outside of India, the event generates revenue primarily through corporate sponsorships and media partnerships with brands seeking access to the Indian American consumer market.

Product overview

Diwali at Times Square is a cultural event and marketing organization that produces the Diwali at Times Square festival — the largest Diwali celebration outside of India. The organization operates through EventGuru Inc. (event production subsidiary of ASB Communications) and produces cultural events featuring live performances, dignitaries, and global brand partnerships. Additional offerings include social media shows ('Neeta Bhasin Show' and 'Desis in New York') and the 'SAMMAAN For All' charitable foundation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EventGuru: Premier full-service event production and management company that has produced Diwali at Times Square since its inception in 2013. Also manages events such as Lok Kerala Sabha and Cricket All-Star.
• Sammaan For All Foundation

Products and services

• Diwali at Times Square Annual Festival Annual flagship cultural event celebrating Diwali in Times Square, New York City. It is the largest Diwali celebration outside India, featuring live music, dance performances, cultural showcases, Bollywood performers, and dignitaries that unite communities through Indian heritage and traditions. Open to the public free of charge and broadcast via media partner Colors TV.
• EventGuru Inc. Event Production Services Premier full-service event production and management company specializing in large-scale events, concerts, and trade shows. Producer of Diwali at Times Square since 2013. Serves corporate clients, government bodies, and cultural organizations seeking end-to-end event execution.
• ASB Communications Multicultural Marketing

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached over 600 million+ potential views/Impressions through TV, Print, and Online media coverage
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• New York CityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024New York City partnered with Diwali at Times Square since 2024. NYC declared October 29, 2023 as 'Diwali at Times Square Day' and made Diwali an official NYC School Holiday in 2023. Mayor Eric Adams has participated in the celebration.
• Consulate of India, New YorkflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023The Consulate of India partners with Diwali at Times Square, hosting press briefings and providing diplomatic support for the celebration. Consul General Binaya Srikanta Pradhan has officially recognized the event.
• Colors TVcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerColors TV serves as the official TV Media Partner of Diwali at Times Square, reaching over 4.5 million people through their broadcast and social media platforms.
• TV AsiaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner providing coverage to South Asian audiences in the United States.
• Awesome TVminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner contributing to the event's reach and visibility.
• Zee5minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital streaming partner providing content distribution.
• MastercardcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsor with CMO Raja Rajamannar receiving the 'Man of the Year' award. Mastercard is proud to be associated with the celebration.
• Kia AmericacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKia is a presenting sponsor of Diwali at Times Square, with COO Steven Center endorsing the partnership.
• Procter & Gamble (P&G)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerP&G sponsors with brands including Head & Shoulders, Secret, Always, Tide, Bounty. P&G is honored to celebrate with the South Asian community.
• Gopi DairycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor celebrating 'Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: United Colors of America' with Diwali at Times Square.
• Intense EntertainmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEntertainment partner contributing to event programming and promotion.
• Sammaan FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Neeta Bhasin, Sammaan's mission is to facilitate people from lower-economic strata to achieve their dreams through sustainable living tools. Associated with Diwali at Times Square events.
• Hindu American FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting Hindu American community representation at the event.
• ASB CommunicationsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent agency of EventGuru, ASB Communications is the first South Asian marketing and events agency in the United States, founded in 1997 by Neeta Bhasin. It is the agency that conceptualized Diwali at Times Square.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Asia Society: NYC-headquartered nonprofit producing cultural programming and events across Asian diaspora communities, including Diwali-adjacent programming — comparable audience and a much larger institutional footprint across Asian American cultural events.
• Carnegie Hall: Iconic NYC cultural institution producing high-profile live events with corporate sponsorship and broadcast partnerships; not a direct competitor but a useful peer in scale of cultural prestige, sponsor economics, and venue-quality programming.
• Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts: NYC's largest performing-arts venue and producer of cultural festivals and live events with corporate sponsorships and premium audiences — operates at a much larger institutional scale but offers a benchmark for monetizing live cultural programming in the same city.

Regional players

• London Belgrave Mela: The UK's largest South Asian free outdoor festival held in Leicester, comparable in format (free public cultural festival with music, dance, food) and audience (South Asian diaspora) but operating in a UK geography rather than the US.
• Diwali Downtown Toronto: A major Diwali celebration in a Canadian gateway city, targeting the South Asian diaspora with cultural performances and sponsor activations — most directly comparable format to Diwali at Times Square outside the New York market.
• Edinburgh Mela: Scotland's biggest multi-cultural festival in Edinburgh featuring South Asian music, dance, and food programming — analogous free, sponsor-supported diaspora festival model in a different geography.

Others

• Times Square Alliance: The business improvement district that manages and licenses public-events programming for Times Square — an enabling/regulatory peer rather than a direct competitor, but the gatekeeper whose permits make the Diwali event possible at that specific location.

Direct peers

• India Foundation of America: A non-profit advancing Indian American visibility through cultural events and advocacy programming, including festival and community-gathering activations — overlapping sponsors, audience (Indian diaspora in US), and cultural-festival production model.
• Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) — India Day Parade NYC: Producers of the India Day Parade in NYC, FIA is the most directly comparable organization — running a marquee annual Indian American cultural celebration in the New York metro area, relying on diaspora attendance, government partnerships, and corporate sponsorships to monetize the event.

Emerging players

• Sabrang Communications: South Asian-focused event and media production company producing cultural programs targeting the Indian American diaspora in the Northeast — directly overlapping production capability, audience, and event-driven go-to-market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UClIkfILqCNhrb3aUEd9tb3w
• Facebookfacebook.com/DiwaliTimesSquare
• TikToktiktok.com/@diwali_timessquare
• Xx.com/DiwaliTS

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Diwali at Times Square