'A product of India-US bond': Satya Nadella joins 76th Republic Day celebrations in Seattle

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella

Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO of Microsoft, and Governor of Washington State Bob Ferguson recently attended a gathering of 500 plus Indian American community members to celebrate the 76th Republic Day of India in Seattle.

Satya Nadella while addressing the gathering, acknowledged that he “was a product of the bond that exists between the two countries (India and USA),” and praised the leadership of both the countries for their “focus on how to use technology to leverage education outcomes, health outcomes, public service efficiency, competitiveness and productivity of small businesses”.

The newly elected 24th Governor of Washington State Bob Ferguson acknowledged,  “the incredible contribution the Indian society makes not just for India but for the entire world”. He added that as a new Governor of the state of Washington, he looked forward to building on the relationship with the Consulate General of India in Seattle.

A very special celebration of India's 76th Republic Day in Seattle!A very big thank you toWashington State Governor Honble Bob Ferguson and Chairman and CEO of Microsoft, Mr. Satya Nadella for joining.Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, US Rep Michael Baumgartner, US Rep. pic.twitter.com/giUtsgdx3N
India In Seattle (@IndiainSeattle) January 28, 2025

Several members of the US Congress also joined in the evening celebrations. These included Rep. Suzan DelBene, Rep. Adam Smith, Rep. Michael Baumgartner, Rep. Kim Schrier, who welcomed India’s achievements as the world’s largest democracy. Other distinguished participants included Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, along with Mayors of TEN cities of Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, Auburn, Tacoma, Mercer Island, Monroe, Kent and Sammamish. Several Washington State Senators and Representatives, along with King County and Bellevue City Council elected members also participated at the evening celebrations.

The Republic Day Reception in Seattle also showcased several unique exhibits on display, which included a) ODOP (One District, One Product ) – featuring one unique cultural heritage product from each state and union territory of India, along with c) A Photo Exhibit: India through Tim’s eyes, which put on display some of India’s most iconic tourism sites, that were photographed by ace photographer Tim Durkan, during his recent visit to India in September last year. The Evening Reception also featured a specially curated dance performance showcasing the various dance forms of “Bharat titled Natyam” – which was extremely well received by the gathering.