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Why We Celebrate National Unity Day, Birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity day is celebrated every year on 31st October in India to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who played a great role in unifying the country.

Updated on: 12 October, 2021 2:24 PM IST By: Abha Toppo
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

National Unity day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity day is celebrated every year on 31st October in India to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who played a great role in unifying the country. National Unity Day was introduced by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s government in 2014 with the aim of celebrating this event every year on October 31.

People all over India celebrate the day by organizing various events and programs. A floral tribute is given to the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel every year at Patel Chowk near Parliament Street in New Delhi in the morning hours. The government also organizes various programs like run for unity and pledge taking ceremony march past by the Indian police etc.

Later in the day, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will broadcast the movie 'Sardar' on Doordarshan and will play radio as well as TV jingles.

Moreover, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the tallest statue in the world, the statue of unity at Kevadiya in Gujarat’s Narmada district. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s statue built on the ‘Sadhu Bet’ islet near Sardar Sarovar Dam is 182 meters tall. A point to mention here is that the statue of Sardar Patel is twice America’s Statue of Liberty. 

About Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel 

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who is better known as the ‘Iron Man of India’ was a great leader of our Indian history.  He was a father figure, the father of India’s political integration. He was the man who persuaded and cajoled a huge number of princely states to join the Indian Union. National Unity Day is an attempt by the government to honor and celebrate this great man’s efforts in uniting the country.

As India progresses as one of the world's major economies, every Indian should remember Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's significant contribution to the creation of a modern and united India.

Also, read about Gandhi Jayanti (when Mahatma Gandhi Identified Himself as a 'Famer').

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