Swami Vivekananda Statue Unveiled in Seattle

Seattle made history on April 11 as the first city government in the United States to host a life size bronze statue of Swami Vivekananda, unveiled at Westlake Square in the heart of downtown.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and India's Consul General in Seattle, Prakash Gupta, jointly unveiled the monument in the presence of local political leaders and members of the Indian American community. The statue is a gift from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations to the City of Seattle, timed to coincide with ICCR Day as part of India's broader cultural diplomacy efforts.

The sculpture was crafted by Indian artist Naresh Kumar Kumawat, renowned for installing over 600 statues across more than 80 countries. Its prominent location near Amazon's headquarters, the Seattle Convention Center, and the Seattle Center Monorail ensures maximum visibility in the urban core.

"It is a gift to the city of Seattle and symbolically very strong, in resonance to the diversity and multicultural fabric of Seattle," said Consul General Soumith Raju K.

Swami Vivekananda, who lived from 1863 to 1902, is celebrated worldwide for introducing Vedanta and Yoga to the West through his landmark 1893 address at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago.

From Chicago 1893 to Seattle 2026! Seattle's skyline has a new Indian icon: Swami Vivekananda!

City of Seattle becomes the first city government to host the Swami Vivekananda Monument in the heart of downtown Seattle.

Thank the Mayor of Seattle Hon’ble Katie Wilson for hosting… pic.twitter.com/HfF3W6qGwL

— India In Seattle (@IndiainSeattle) April 12, 2026