North Dakota unveils first Mahatma Gandhi statue at Bismarck Peace Park

North Dakota unveiled its first life-size Mahatma Gandhi statue at Bismarck's Peace Park. The installation promotes non-violence while deepening cultural and people-to-people ties with India.Image used for representational purposes onlyNewyork/seattle,Oct 30, 2026 09:58 ISTA 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, news agency Press Trust of India reported.The statue was unveiled on Thursday at Peace Park in Bismarck, the state capital, during the month marking Gandhi's 157th birth anniversary. October 2, his birth anniversary, is also observed as the International Day of Non-Violence.The statue was installed with the assistance of the Consulate General of India in Seattle and support from the Indian-American community in North Dakota and the North Dakota Trade Office, according to a statement issued by the consulate.A plaque accompanying the statue reads, "From the people of India to the people of North Dakota." It 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." Speaking to KFYR TV, Consul General of India in Seattle Prakash Gupta said: "Today, when the world is very divided and we have conflicts raging across the world, to have Gandhi's message of non-violence emanate out of North Dakota, not only to the US but to the rest of the world, is very important because that reflects the founding basis of how India and the US look upon each other as the world's largest democracy and the world's oldest democracy."The unveiling ceremony was attended by North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong, First Lady Kjersti Armstrong, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, officials of the Bismarck Parks and Recreation District and members of the Indian-American community. The statue was dedicated by the governor, the first lady and Gupta. Goehring described the statue as a symbol of peace and non-violence and recalled Gandhi's message. He highlighted the growing friendship between India and North Dakota and said Gandhi's ideals resonated in India, across the world and among the people of the state, according to the statement.Kjersti Armstrong expressed admiration for Gandhi and said it was an honour to celebrate his legacy, which she described as more important today than it had been in a very long time. School students from North Dakota also performed musical renditions of Gandhi's favourite hymns during the ceremony.Peace Park, located in downtown Bismarck, was developed shortly after the September 11 attacks. It is also home to a Peace Pole installed by the Gandhi Peace Network of North Dakota and other bronze sculptures."The statue of Mahatma Gandhi, whose life and message remain universal symbols of peace and non-violence, now joins these other installations at the Peace Park, adding to the public art heritage of North Dakota's capital city," the consulate said.Engagement between India and North Dakota has grown steadily since the Consulate General of India in Seattle was established in November 2023, the statement said. Senior delegates from the North Dakota Trade Office visited India earlier this year as part of exchanges between the two sides.Gupta's visits to North Dakota in 2024 and 2026 included meetings with the governor, the mayor of Bismarck and leaders from the agriculture, business and education sectors. The consulate also organised consular and cultural outreach programmes in Fargo, including International Day of Yoga celebrations in 2026 and a consular camp in February this year."The installation of the first Gandhi statue in North Dakota, therefore, adds further momentum to India-North Dakota cultural and people-to-people ties," the consulate said.The statue is the latest installed under the consulate's initiative in the US Pacific Northwest and Midwest. Earlier statues were installed at the base of the Space Needle in Seattle in October 2024, at the State Capitol in Lincoln, Nebraska, in December 2024, and at the Mansfield Center at the University of Montana in Missoula in March 2026.Along with a statue installed at the Bellevue Public Library in October 2009, the North Dakota installation is the fifth Gandhi monument within the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of India in Seattle. The consulate covers Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota and Washington. The new statue adds to these monuments while promoting Gandhi's message of peace and non-violence.With PTI Inputs- Ends