A life-size bronze statue of Swami Vivekananda has been unveiled in Westlake Square, located in the heart of Seattle, America. This is the first time that a city government in America has officially installed such a statue of Swami Vivekananda. On this historic occasion, it was jointly inaugurated by Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and Consul General of India Prakash Gupta.
For the first time in America, the city government installed Vivekananda’s statue.
This statue is the first installation of its kind in America, which has been installed by a city government. Earlier, statues of Swami Vivekananda had been installed by different organizations or communities, but this time this work has been done directly by the city administration.
Established in Seattle’s busiest and most prominent location
This statue has been installed in Westlake Square, which is a very famous and busy area of Seattle city. About 4 lakh people come here every day and lakhs of tourists reach this place every month. This place is located near Amazon Spheres, Seattle Convention Center and Seattle Center Monorail, which increases its importance even more.
Many big leaders attended the grand ceremony
Mayors and senior leaders of Seattle and many surrounding cities attended the unveiling ceremony of this statue. These included Kent Mayor Dana Ralph, Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus, Tukwila Mayor Tom McLeod, Normandie Park Mayor Eric Zimmerman and Kirkland Mayor Kelly Curtis. Apart from this, many leaders of Indian origin community and city council members of Bellevue, Bothell, Dupont and Redmond were also present in this program.
Mayor Katie Wilson said- this is a symbol of inclusivity
Swami Vivekananda Monument adorns the heart of downtown Seattle! pic.twitter.com/JWKLBegJ5l
— Naveen Rai (@batooninaveen) April 12, 2026
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said in her speech that this statue of Swami Vivekananda reflects the diversity and inclusive thinking of the city. He said that this will further strengthen the cultural ties between India and America, especially in the technology hub Seattle.
Special gift given from India
This statue has been given as a gift to the city of Seattle by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). The move is part of India’s cultural diplomacy, which aims to promote Indian culture across the world and strengthen people-to-people ties. This program was organized on the occasion of ICCR Day, which makes this initiative more special. Swami Vivekananda was a great saint, philosopher and spiritual guru, who popularized Vedanta and Yoga in western countries. His life (1863–1902) is considered a symbol of India’s spiritual heritage.
Indian artist created this grand statue
This statue has been prepared by India’s famous sculptor Naresh Kumar Kumawat. He has created more than 600 statues in more than 80 countries of the world, which represent Indian culture. Indian cultural dance programs were also organized on this occasion, in which a large number of people participated. Messages related to Swami Vivekananda were also given to the people present at the function and souvenirs were also distributed.
India-US relations will get a new dimension
The installation of this statue is being seen as increasing cultural relations between India and America. Especially in the Pacific Northwest region of America, this step will further strengthen the bond between people.
The day recorded in history is 11 April 2026
This event held in Seattle on April 11, 2026 has become historic. This is not just the unveiling of a statue, but has emerged as a symbol of India’s cultural identity and global influence.