Seattle, March 4 : A bust of Mahatma Gandhi was installed at the prestigious Mike Mansfield Center of the University of Montana in Missoula, according to a statement by the Indian Consulate in Seattle.

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, along with the Consul General of India in Seattle, jointly unveiled the bust of the Mahatma in a gathering that was attended by leading officials from the state, including faculty and students of the University of Montana, as well as members of the Montana World Affairs Council.

Addressing the gathering, Governor Gianforte thanked the Consulate for presenting the bust of Mahatma as a gift from the Indian government to the US state.

Acknowledging the strengthening ties between India and Montana, he praised the ideals of nonviolence that Mahatma Gandhi espoused as much-needed values in the world order today.

Founded by an Act of the US Congress in 1983, the Mansfield Centre at the University, where the bust of Mahatma is placed, 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 colours - Holi.

The University's Executive Director, Deena Mansour, 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 colours before attending the Indian Film Festival, where Bollywood movie "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" was screened for young Montanan students. Participants also savoured the special Holi sweet 'gujiya' during the celebrations.

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

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 programme. 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 organised in Seattle on January 25.

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.

The Gandhi bust unveiled at the Mansfield Center is the 4th such to be installed in the US Pacific North West and follows three other 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).

/IANS