Mahatma Gandhi's bust unveiled at Seattle Center

Washington: A bust of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled at the Seattle Center on the iconic Indian freedom fighter's birth anniversary.

The bust was unveiled on Wednesday in the presence of Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell; Congressman Adam Smith; and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who is of Indian origin.

The bust -- the first installation on Gandhi in Seattle -- has been placed just below the base of the popular Space Needle and adjacent to the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum.

The unveiling ceremony was led by Consul General of India in Seattle Prakash Gupta. It was also attended by Lt Gen Xavier Brunson, commander of the US First Corps in the Pacific Northwest, and Eddie Rye -- chair of the Martin Luther King-Gandhi Initiative.

To mark the occasion, Washington Governor Jay Inslee issued an official proclamation, acknowledging the bust as a lasting tribute to Gandhi's teachings and a powerful reminder of the impact of non-violence in driving change.

Another proclamation was issued by the King County, designating October 2 as 'Mahatma Gandhi Day' across all 73 cities of the Greater Seattle area.

The Indian consulate in Seattle commenced operations last November with consular jurisdiction over the nine Pacific Northwest states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Alaska.

The installation of Gandhi's bust in Seattle is one in a series of initiatives being implemented across its consular jurisdiction, the consulate said in a release.

"Consulate General of India and the city of Seattle had worked in partnership to identify an appropriate venue for locating the bust of Mahatma Gandhi and the iconic location of Seattle Center, which draws more than 12 million visitors each year, was considered appropriate, given its location, accessibility and commitment to promoting the values of peace and non-violence," it added.