Washington: A life-size bronze statue of Swami Vivekananda was unveiled at Westlake Square in downtown Seattle on Sunday, marking the first time a US city government has hosted such a monument.
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and Consul General of India in Seattle, Prakash Gupta, jointly inaugurated the statue in the bustling public space, which attracts over 400,000 daily visitors and lies near landmarks like Amazon headquarters, the Seattle Convention Centre, and the Seattle Center Monorail.
The ceremony drew mayors from Kent, Auburn, Tukwila, Normandy Park, and Kirkland, plus city councillors and Indian American community leaders. Wilson hailed the installation as embodying Seattle's "inclusive spirit" and commitment to cultural ties with India, especially in its diverse tech hub.
Gifted by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) to the City of Seattle, the statue—sculpted by Indian artist Naresh Kumar Kumawat, creator of over 600 works in 80 countries—coincides with ICCR Day. It underscores India's cultural diplomacy in the Pacific Northwest, home to a vibrant Indian diaspora, amid growing India-US ties in technology, defence, and economics.
The project bolsters people-to-people connections, adding to global tributes to Vivekananda's legacy in diaspora-heavy cities.
(Inputs from IANS)