NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Seattle, WA, October 3, 2024: In a unique addition to the city’s cultural landscape, a bust of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled on October 2 at the Seattle Center, in close proximity to the iconic Space Needle and the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum. The unveiling marks the first installation of Gandhi’s bust in Seattle, a city known for its diverse and vibrant community.
The event coincided with Gandhi Jayanti, the birth anniversary of the Indian leader, which is also recognized as the International Day of Non-Violence by the United Nations.
The ceremony drew a large crowd, including Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, Congressman Adam Smith, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Lt. Gen. Xavier Brunson, Commander of the US First Corps in the Pacific Northwest, and Mr. Eddie Rye, Chair of the Martin Luther King-Gandhi Initiative.
Consul General of India in Seattle, Prakash Gupta, and several prominent members of the Indian American community also attended, paying their respects to the leader who championed non-violence and justice.
Speakers at the event highlighted Gandhi’s values of Ahimsa (non-violence), Satyagraha (truth force), and Sarvodaya (welfare for all) as urgently needed in today’s world. Consul General Prakash Gupta emphasized the importance of these principles in building peaceful and equitable societies.
The Consulate General of India worked with the City of Seattle to identify a suitable location for the bust. The Seattle Center, which draws more than 12 million visitors annually, was chosen for its accessibility and symbolic alignment with Gandhi’s message of peace and harmony.
In recognition of the event, Washington Governor Jay Inslee issued an official proclamation, hailing the bust as a lasting tribute to Gandhi’s teachings. King County also designated October 2nd as Mahatma Gandhi Day across all 73 cities in the Greater Seattle area.
This unveiling is part of a broader initiative by the Indian Consulate in Seattle, which opened in November 2023, to promote Indian cultural and diplomatic ties across its nine-state jurisdiction.
