India is a global leader with breakthrough innovations, American businessman and Microsoft founder Bill Gates has said as he joined Indian Americans to celebrate the first ever India Independence Day celebrations of the newly-opened Indian Consulate in Seattle.

Bill Gates, chairman of the Gates Foundation, flagged off the first India Day celebrations in the Greater Seattle area as Consulate General of India as Seattle’s Guest of Honor, on India’s 78th Independence Day, a media release said.

Addressing the nearly 2,000 plus members of the Indian American community, he referred to India “as a global leader with breakthrough innovations in areas like technology, agriculture and healthcare”.

Gates further said, “From manufacturing safe low-cost vaccines to the remarkable leadership shown by the Indian diaspora to India’s Digital Public Infrastructure – India’s ingenuity is helping not just Indians, but the whole world. Countries across the Global South are leveraging India’s experience to build their DPI systems.” Other participants at the India Day celebrations included Congresswoman Suzan DelBene, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, Congressman Adam Smith, Lt. General Xavier Brunson, Commander of the America’s First Corps in Pacific NorthWest, Rear Admiral Mark Sucato, Commander of the Navy Region of North West, Washington Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck and Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and Chief Justice from Washington Supreme Court Steve Gonzalez.

The event showcased for the first time in the Greater Seattle area all states and regions of India through floats and cultural performances celebrating the theme of Unity in Diversity.

Each of the floats were put together by prominent leaders of the Indian American community and reflected some of the important aspects of India’s rich cultural heritage.

To mark the occasion, five separate official proclamations were issued by governments/city councils of King County, Bellevue City (Washington), Portland (Oregon), Hillsboro (Oregon), Tigard (Oregon) to honour the India Day celebrations. Mark Gordon, Governor of Wyoming also sent a separate congratulatory message on India’s 78th Independence Day. Some iconic buildings in Seattle and Bellevue also lit up in tricolours to mark the India Day celebrations, the media release said.

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