North Dakota gets first life-size Mahatma Gandhi statue, Indian-American community welcomes move

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.

Gandhi's message of peace and non-violence

"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," Consul General of India in Seattle Prakash Gupta said in an interview with KFYR TV.

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 Governor Kelly Armstrong, Consul General Prakash Gupta and First Lady Kjersti Armstrong.

Addressing the event, Goehring described the statue as a symbol of peace and non-violence and recalled Gandhi's timeless message. He highlighted the growing friendship between India and North Dakota, noting that Gandhi's ideals resonated not only in India and across the world but also with the people of the American 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 being more important today than it had been in a very long time.

The ceremony also featured musical renditions of Gandhi's favourite hymns by school students from North Dakota.

Peace Park gets another symbol of harmony

Located in downtown Bismarck, Peace Park 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, along with 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.

India-North Dakota ties gain momentum

Since the establishment of the Consulate General of India in Seattle in November 2023, engagement between India and North Dakota has grown steadily, the statement said.

Senior delegates from the North Dakota Trade Office visited India earlier this year as part of ongoing exchanges between the two sides.

Gupta's visits to the state in 2024 and 2026 included meetings with the governor, the mayor of Bismarck and leaders from the agriculture, business and education sectors.

The consulate has also organised consular and cultural outreach programmes in Fargo, including the 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 addition under the consulate's initiative in the US Pacific Northwest and Midwest, following installations 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, University of Montana, Missoula, in March 2026.

Along with the statue installed at the Bellevue Public Library in October 2009, it is the fifth Gandhi monument within the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of India in Seattle, which covers Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota and Washington.