Amid the ongoing 2025 Maha Kumbh, a video is being shared to claim that it shows former Microsoft Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Bill Gates recently visiting Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Uttar Pradesh.
What did the viral post say?: An X (formerly Twitter) premium subscriber shared the post with a caption that said, "World's richest man Bill Gates comes under the divine shelter of Baba Kashi Vishwanath."
The post had garnered over nine lakh views on the platform. More archives of similar claims can be found here, here, and here.
Is the claim true?: The claim is misleading as the video could be traced back to at least December 2024, which predates the beginning of Maha Kumbh 2025.
There is no evidence to back that Gates has recently visited the temple in Uttar Pradesh.
What led us to the truth?: On performing a simple reverse image search using Google Lens, we found the same clip uploaded on an unverified YouTube channel named 'HAPPYATUL2'.
The video was posted on 30 December 2024.
It mentioned that the video was made using a green screen and carried the name of the original channel.
The original YouTube channel that had posted this clip was called 'Gulluck'. It was shared on 24 December 2024 and its title said, "A man look like bill gates (sic)."
It should be noted that this video has been available since December 2024, which predates the 2025 Maha Kumbh that started on 13 January.
No news reports or information available: Team WebQoof did not find any credible news reports or any information available in the public domain, including Gates' official social media handles, to back the viral claim.
Gates Foundation denied the viral claim: We reached out to Gates Foundation on e-mail seeking further clarification about the viral claim. They replied by saying, "This claim is false."
Conclusion: Considering both these factors, it is safe to say that the viral clip does not show Bill Gates at Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple amid the ongoing Maha Kumbh.
(Editor's Note: The report has been updated to add a quote by the Gates Foundation dismissing the viral claim.)
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