Created By: Factly
Co-Published By: LokmatTimes.com
A video circulating on social media claims to show Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates visiting the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir in Varanasi during the 2025 Prayagraj Maha Kumbh Mela, which commenced on January 13, 2025. This article investigates the accuracy of this claim.
Fact-Check
Factly conducted thorough research and found no credible media reports confirming Bill Gates’ presence at the Maha Kumbh Mela. Additionally, Gates’ social media accounts do not mention any visit to the event. His last known public visit to India was in February 2024.
A reverse image search of the viral video traced it back to a YouTube channel called ‘Gulluck,’ which uploaded the video on December 24, 2024. The video claimed to feature a foreign tourist resembling Bill Gates in Varanasi. Another video on the same channel humorously referred to the individual as a “duplicate Bill Gates,” who had also visited Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi.
Closer examination confirms the person in the video is not Bill Gates. Aaj Tak contacted the original uploader, Dipankar Yadav, who clarified that during his November 2024 visit to Varanasi, he noticed a group of foreign tourists at Manikarnika Ghat. Among them was one individual who bore a resemblance to Gates, prompting Dipankar to create a satirical video. He further noted that the individual had no security personnel, indicating he was an ordinary tourist.
Conclusion:
An old video of a foreign tourist has been misrepresented as footage of Bill Gates attending the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela.
This story was originally published by Factly and republished by LokmatTimes.com as part of the Shakti Collective.