Bothell names Deepti Agrawal as Fourth of July Parade Grand Marshal

Indian American artist honored for her extraordinary contributions to community service, youth empowerment, artistic leadership, and humanitarian efforts

By Arun Kumar

The City of Bothell in Washington state has named Deepti Agrawal as the Grand Marshal of this year’s Fourth of July Parade, honoring her extraordinary contributions to community service, youth empowerment, artistic leadership, and humanitarian efforts.

A 2022 recipient of the Governor’s Arts & Heritage Award, Deepti Agrawal is an internationally recognized artist and expert in Madhubani Painting, a traditional folk-art form from Bihar, India. For over 30 years, she has taught, exhibited, and advocated for the preservation of heritage arts, both in the U.S. and abroad.

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Bothell-based artist, Agrawal has spearheaded a movement to integrate traditional visual arts into the city’s artistic identity, transforming Bothell’s cultural landscape, according to a news release. Her impact on Bothell’s youth and women entrepreneurs is profound.

She has mentored numerous women in launching and licensing their own home-based businesses. Through this mentorship, she’s helped build economic independence and confidence, and even inspired community members to step into leadership roles.

She has worked with local schools, libraries, and senior centers, inspiring students and adults to embrace their heritage and reframe cultural identity with pride. Notably, Bothell teens mentored by Agrawal have incorporated traditional art into projects like mural-making and school parking lot designs—and even into their college essays, leading to admissions at top universities including MIT, University of Pennsylvania, Purdue, and the University of Washington.

Agrawal has consistently provided artists and volunteers for Bothell Art Walks, Bothell Cultural Nights, Bothell Summerfest, Bothell Rocks, and countless community events at the Bothell Library and Northshore Senior Center, according to the release.

She has also led large-scale public art projects, including a free 8×8 ft floor mural at Canyon Creek Elementary and a 23×25 ft mural at the Bothell Hindu Temple and Cultural Center, adding beauty and cultural depth to the City’s landscape.

Her nonprofit arms, Kathith and Wind Beneath the Wings, extend her mission even further. Kathith provides low- to no-cost workshops using art for mental wellness and cultural reconnection. Wind Beneath the Wings offers local artists platforms to showcase their work at premier venues such as the Northwest Folklife Festival, Seattle Art Museum, and major corporations including Microsoft, Google, and the Gates Foundation.

Agrawal is also a TEDx speaker, a Heritage Master Artist with Humanities Washington, a PEAR Team Member at WA State Arts Commission and a current treasurer and trustee of Humanities WA. She has represented Washington State at the Capitol in D.C., advocating for the humanities, arts, and cultural access.