New statue in Westlake Square honors Indian philosopher Swami Vivekananda

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and the Consulate General of India on Saturday unveiled a life-size bronze statue honoring Swami Vivekananda, an Indian philosopher who brought spiritual teachings and yoga to the U.S. in the late 1800s.

The statue at Westlake Square is "part of India's broader cultural diplomacy initiative," the Consulate General said in a statement, and "aims to strengthen people-to-people ties between India and the US Pacific Northwest."

https://twitter.com/IndiainSeattle/status/2043170698391335257

The statue is a gift from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations, the Consulate General said.

Seattle's Indian population has been growing over the better part of the past two decades following the tech boom. India was the most popular country of birth for immigrants living in King County in 2024, followed closely by China.

Vivekananda lived from 1863 to 1902 and spoke across the U.S. and Europe about Vedantic Hinduism. In a famous speech at the 1893 Parliament of World Religions in Chicago, the spiritual leader preached about "universal toleration" and the oneness of humanity.

Correction: The previous version of this story incorrectly identified the location of the statue.

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This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 10:07 AM.