Seattle: Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft and a prominent American entrepreneur, joined Indian Americans for the inaugural India Independence Day celebration at the newly established Indian Consulate in Seattle.
Gates acknowledged India as a global leader in innovation. Celebrating India’s 78th Independence Day, Bill Gates, as the chairman of the Gates Foundation, kicked off the first India Day festivities in the Greater Seattle area, serving as the Guest of Honor for the Consulate General of India.
In his address to over 2,000 Indian-American community members, he referred to India as a “global leader with pioneering innovations in fields such as technology, agriculture, and healthcare.” Gates added, “From producing safe, cost-effective vaccines to the remarkable leadership shown by the Indian diaspora, and to India’s Digital Public Infrastructure – India’s creativity is aiding not just its citizens but the entire world.” Nations in the Global South are adopting India’s expertise to establish their DPI systems.
Other dignitaries present at the India Day celebrations included Representatives Suzan DelBene, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, Lieutenant General Xavier Brunson, Commander of America’s First Corps in the Pacific Northwest, Rear Admiral Mark Sucato, Commander of the Navy Region Northwest, Washington Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, Chief Justice of the Washington Supreme Court, and Washington Secretary of State Steve Gonzalez.
The festival showcased all Indian states and regions in the Greater Seattle area for the first time, through floats and cultural performances that celebrated the theme of Unity in Diversity. Distinguished members of the Indian-American community curated each float, showcasing important aspects of India’s rich cultural heritage.
