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Ohio Hindu parents must request Diwali leave within 14 days of school starting
Ohio became the first state in the nation to guarantee Hindu students the right to miss school for Diwali with the passage of House Bill 214 in December 2024.
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Pranavi Sharma - Thu, 18, Sep 2025
- 01:49 EDT
- 20
Former Ohio State Senator Niraj Antani / Instagram/@Nirajantani
Hindu parents in Ohio must act quickly to ensure their children receive excused absences for Diwali and two other Hindu holidays during the school year, as required under Senate Bill 49. The law mandates that parents submit written requests to school principals within 14 school days of the academic year beginning. For many families, the deadline falls this week.
The Hindu American Foundation posted a reminder on X, saying, “Ohio Hindu parents: Under SB 49 (R.E.D. Act), students can celebrate Diwali & 2 Hindu holidays at home, but you must request the days off within 14 days of school starting. For many, the deadline is THIS WEEK.”
Ohio Hindu parents: Under SB 49 (R.E.D. Act), students can celebrate Diwali & 2 Hindu holidays at home, but you must request the days off within 14 days of school starting. For many, the deadline is THIS WEEK. Don’t miss it! pic.twitter.com/gFXuihirtv
— Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) September 16, 2025
Former Ohio State Senator Niraj Antani, who co-sponsored the legislation, emphasized the importance of following the requirement. “Parents must provide written notice to their student’s school principal within 14 school days after the first day of school,” Antani explained. “The notice must include the three specific dates and holidays that the student will be taking off.”
For example, if a school began classes on Aug. 20, the deadline to file requests would be Sept. 10. Each district is responsible for setting the format in which notices are submitted, either electronically or on paper, and parents are urged to confirm specific procedures with their district.
Antani underscored that the bill marks a milestone. “Every Hindu student in Ohio will be able to take school off as a holiday for Diwali beginning in 2025 and then for the rest of history,” he said. He added that the law “surpasses any other school district in the nation” by also recognizing two additional holidays.
ALSO READ: New Ohio law allows Hindu students 3 religious holiday per year
To help schools, Antani provided the Ohio Department of Education with a list of major Hindu festivals, ranging from Krishna Janmashtami in August to Vaisakhi in April. The list, however, is not exhaustive, and parents are free to designate other observances.
Ohio became the first state in the nation to guarantee Hindu students the right to miss school for Diwali with the passage of House Bill 214 in December 2024. Antani called the law “an incredible victory for Hindus in Ohio,” noting that it reflects the state’s recognition of Hindu religious practices.
Parents who fail to submit their requests within the required timeframe risk losing the ability for their children to take the designated holidays off this school year.
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