Bust of Mahatma Gandhi unveiled in Montana

By Deepak Arora

MISSOULA ((MONTANA), Mar 3: The first bust of Mahatma Gandhi was installed at the prestigious Mike Mansfield Center of the University of Montana in Missoula today. Governor of Montana Greg Gianforte and Consul General of India in Seattle Prakash Gupta jointly unveiled the bust of the Mahatma.

Leading officials from Montana state, including faculty and students of University of Montana, First Lady Susan Gianforte as well as members of the Montana World Affairs Council were present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, Governor Gianforte thanked the Consulate for presenting the bust of Mahatma as a gift from the Government of India to the State of Montana. While acknowledging the strengthening ties between India and Montana, Governor Gianforte praised the ideals of nonviolence that Mahatma Gandhi espoused, as much needed values in the world order today.

Founded by an Act of US Congress in 1983, the Mansfield Center at University of Montana (where the bust of Mahatma is placed), the Mansfield Center aims to foster globally minded leaders of integrity and supports youth and communities through civic and international education guided by ethical leadership, civic responsibility and an unconditional commitment to public good.

Later in the evening, students at the University of Montana also participated in another unique event celebrating the Indian festival of colors - Holi. Ms. Deena Mansour, Executive Director of the University welcomed the first Holi celebrations in Montana as marking “the arrival of spring and embracing unity”.

A large number of Montanans played Holi using organic Indian colors before attending the Indian Film Festival, where a Bollywood Movie “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” was screened for viewing by young Montanan students. Participants also savoured the special Holi-sweet "Gujiya" during the celebrations.

Earlier in the day, nearly 400 plus Montanan students also attended a briefing session on Brand India, where they were introduced to the flavors of Indian coffee, including ARAKU, and briefed about India’s ODOP during at the Academic World Quest Conference hosted by Montana World Affairs Council.

It may be noted that since the establishment of the new Indian Consulate in Seattle, bilateral ties between India and Montana have deepened significantly. In June 2025, a ten-member delegation of young high-school students visited India on a two-week cultural immersion program. Subsequently, a fifty-member delegation from Montana including business executives, educationists and technology experts participated in the Second Edition of the Invest India Business Forum organized in Seattle on January 25.

As such, the installation of the Gandhi Bust and the celebration of the Holi Festival in Montana added further momentum to strengthening India-Montana cultural and people to people ties.

It may be noted that the Gandhi Ji bust unveiled today at the Mansfield Center in Montana is the 4th such Mahatma Gandhi statue to be installed in the US Pacific North West and follows three other Gandhi ji statues installed by the Consulate earlier, including at the Base of Space Needle in Seattle (October 2024), at State Capitol in Lincoln, Nebraska (December 2024), and another earlier one at Bellevue Public Library (October 2009).