A bust of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln, marking the first time a statue of the iconic Indian leader has been placed in any state capitol in the US Pacific Northwest, under the jurisdiction of the Indian Consulate in Seattle.
Governor Jim Pillen unveiled the bust on Friday in his office within the historic state capitol building.
Gandhi ji Bust Unveiled at Governor’s Office at Nebraska State Capitol today!
First State Capitol premises (under CGI Seattle’s jurisdiction) to install a Gandhi ji statue.
Thank Governor Jim Pillen for hosting this special ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion and for issuing the… pic.twitter.com/9JXWrOiGmn
— India In Seattle (@IndiainSeattle) December 7, 2024
This is the first Gandhi bust installation in any state capitol among the nine states under the consular jurisdiction of the Indian Consulate in Seattle. Additionally, Governor Pillen issued a proclamation declaring December 6, 2024, as ‘A Day of Remembrance for Mahatma Gandhi’ across Nebraska.
The bust’s installation came after cooperation between the Indian Consulate in Seattle and the Governor’s Office in Nebraska, which jointly selected the Governor’s Office as the ideal location to honor Gandhi’s legacy.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by notable figures including Governor Pillen, Lieutenant Governor Joe Kelly, former Senator Ben Nelson, famed football coach Tom Osborne, Consul General of India Prakash Gupta, and prominent members of the Indian-American community. The speakers emphasized Gandhi’s core principles of Ahimsa (Non-Violence) and Satyagraha (Truth Force), highlighting their continued relevance today.
The proclamation issued by Governor Pillen recognized Gandhi as a global symbol of peace, non-violence, and justice, noting that the bust serves as a tribute to his lasting contributions to humanity. It also stressed the role of the statue in fostering cultural understanding and unity among Nebraska’s diverse communities.
The unveiling follows the installation of a Gandhi bust at the base of Seattle’s Space Needle on October 2nd, during Gandhi Jayanti. The Indian Consulate in Seattle, which began operations in November 2023, oversees consular matters in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Alaska.
