Mahatma Gandhi Memorial at the Milwaukee County Courthouse

Gautam Pal's 2002 bronze sculpture, the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial, stands at the Milwaukee County Courthouse in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The 8 feet 8 inches tall sculpture depicts Indian civil rights leader Mahatma Gandhi dressed in traditional attire and walking with a long staff. His head is bald, and his chest, shoulders, and legs are bare. He wears glasses and his gaze is directed toward the path he is walking. The figure is oriented away from the Courthouse, appearing to walk eastward toward downtown and Lake Michigan. The sculpture stands on a tapered red granite base on which bronze plaques are mounted on four sides to display texts. Placement between Courthouse doors labeled "TRUTH" and "JUSTICE" reinforces the message of the sculpture.

The sculpture was brought to life thanks to the efforts of the Wisconsin Coalition of Asian Indian Organizations (WCAIO) - a coalition of 16 Indian American groups from the Milwaukee area. The Indian Council for Cultural Relations also provided support. Kumar Dhaliwal, retired dean of the Marquette University School of Dentistry, and his wife Darshan led the campaign to bring the sculpture to Milwaukee and donated $25,000. Dhaliwal stated that Gandhi's messages are important to prevent violence in the world, including domestic violence and violence in the streets.

The Indian American community selected the site at MacArthur Square because it is a beautiful, serene setting. The sculpture was unveiled on October 5, 2002, with a dedication event that included a peace march, speeches by Wisconsin elected officials and Indian Ambassador Lalit Mansingh, and the singing of bhajans. The sculpture is a gathering place for the local Indian American community and for peace activists holding vigils.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons