First Life-Size Gandhi Statue Unveiled in North Dakota

A life-size statue of Mahatma Gandhi has been unveiled in North Dakota for the first time, marking a milestone in the Indian-American community's efforts to promote his message of peace and non-violence.

The statue was unveiled on Thursday at Peace Park in downtown Bismarck, the capital of North Dakota. It was installed with the assistance of the Consulate General of India in Seattle and technical support from the Indian-American community in North Dakota and the North Dakota Trade Office, according to a press statement issued by the



consulate.

"From the people of India to the people of North Dakota," a plaque accompanying the statue reads. The plaque also carries a quote by Gandhi: "The golden way is to be friends with the world and to regard the whole human family as one." This is the first life-size statue of Gandhi to be installed in the upper US Midwest state. 

The unveiling took place in the month marking the 157th birth anniversary of the Mahatma. His birth anniversary, October 2, is also observed as the International Day of Non-Violence.