Abu Dhabi firm compensates Indian amputee
Abu Dhabi, June 22 : An Abu Dhabi-based Indian, who lost his hands and legs following an injury at work, has been paid 202,000 dirhams ($54,994) as compensation by his company after the intervention of the Indian embassy here, the media reported.
Punjab-origin Gurbinder Singh was earlier offered a mere 5,750 dirhams by the company as final settlement and was also terminated from his job, Khaleej Times reported on Thursday.
However, the Indian embassy held discussions with Singh's employer and after a series of follow-ups by embassy officials, the company raised the settlement amount to 202,000 dirhams.
On June 20, the company representatives presented a cheque and financial contributions from the staff to Singh's wife Rajwinder Kaur.
Singh, who worked as a crane operator for a private company in Abu Dhabi, had injured his knee at the company site on Zirku Island on February 24.
According to a medical report, Singh was diagnosed with septic shock (a serious medical condition following an infection) and severe left knee necrotising cellulitis (bacterial infection), which required surgical removal of foreign material and dead tissue from injury to prevent the spread of infection. By the second week of April, doctors advised him amputation to save his life. He was discharged from hospital on May 14.
After receiving 202,000 dirhams, Singh said the amount will help fund the education of his two children. His wife said the embassy has offered great help and also appreciated the gesture from the company.
Rajwinder is said to have received assistance from community organisations and people.
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First-ever life-size Vivekananda statue in US unveiled in Seattle
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New York (PTI): The first-ever life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda in the US was unveiled in Seattle, honouring the renowned Indian philosopher and spiritual leader.
The life-size bronze statue, installed at the busy Westlake Square in downtown Seattle, is the first such installation hosted by a city government anywhere in the US, officials said.
Sculpted by Indian artist Naresh Kumar Kumawat, it was jointly unveiled on Saturday by Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and Consul General of India in Seattle Prakash Gupta.
"From Chicago 1893 to Seattle 2026! Seattle's skyline has a new Indian icon: Swami Vivekananda! City of Seattle becomes the first city government to host the Swami Vivekananda Monument in the heart of downtown Seattle," the Consulate General of India in Seattle said in a social media post.
Addressing the event, Wilson said the monument reflects Seattle's inclusive spirit and strengthens cultural ties between India and the diverse metropolitan tech hub in the US Pacific Northwest.
The statue has been gifted by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) to the City of Seattle in recognition of its "in recognition of the city’s rich multicultural character and spirit of inclusivity", the Indian mission in Seattle said in a statement.
The unveiling of the statue was held on the occasion of the celebration of ICCR Day and is part of India's broader cultural diplomacy initiatives aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties between India and the US Pacific Northwest, the Consulate said.
Located at the bustling Westlake Square, which sees over 400,000 visitors daily, the monument stands near prominent landmarks including the Amazon headquarters ‘Spheres’, the Seattle Convention Centre and the Seattle Centre Monorail.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by several local leaders, including mayors from cities in the Greater Seattle area, community representatives and members of the Indian-American diaspora.
Swami Vivekananda had delivered his historic address at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, introducing Hindu philosophy to a global audience.
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