National Unity Day:
Prime Minister of India will lead the celebrations of National Unity Day at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat’s Narmada Valley on October 31.
- National Unity Day, or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, is observed on October 31st every year.
- This significant day commemorates the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a pivotal figure in India’s struggle for independence and the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India.
- It was introduced by the Government of India in 2014.
- Renowned for his exceptional leadership and unyielding commitment to national integration, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is fondly remembered as the “Iron Man of India.”
- National Unity Day serves as a reminder of his efforts to unite the diverse princely states into a single nation and fosters a spirit of solidarity among the people of India.
- This year marks the 150th birth anniversary of Vallabhbhai Patel.
- One of the key highlights of the day is the Run for Unity, a nationwide marathon held to honor Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s vision of a united India.
- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born on 31st October 1875 in Nadiad, Gujarat.
- A successful lawyer by profession, his life encountered a turning point when Mahatma Gandhi chose him as his deputy commander to lead the Kheda Satyagraha in 1918.
- Patel led the Satyagraha movement in Nagpur in 1923 against the British law of banning the hoisting of the Indian flag.
- He was appointed as the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India from 1947 to 1950. He also took charge of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
