National Unity Day 2023 (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas)

October 31, 2023

Context:

October 31 is celebrated as National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas every year in India to commemorate Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary.

National Unity Day

On this day, ‘Run for Unity’ is held across the country. People from all walks of life take part in this event.
National Unity Day seeks to promote social and community service initiatives. It also seeks to foster a sense of volunteerism and community engagement.

About Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (October 31, 1875—December 15, 1950)

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was an Indian barrister and statesman, one of the leaders of the Indian National Congress during the struggle for Indian independence.
From 1917 to 1924, he served as the first Indian municipal commissioner of Ahmedabad and was its elected municipal president from 1924 to 1928.
In 1928, he successfully led the landowners of Bardoli in their resistance against increased taxes.
- His efficient leadership of the Bardoli campaign earned him the title sardar (“leader”), and henceforth he was acknowledged as a nationalist leader throughout India.
He served as deputy prime minister, minister of home affairs, minister of information, and minister of states.
During the 1930 Salt Satyagraha (prayer and fasting movement), he served three months’ imprisonment.
In March 1931 Patel presided over the Karachi session of the Indian National Congress.
- Under his chairmanship, “Fundamental Rights and Economic Policy” resolution was passed by the Congress in 1931.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is remembered as the “Patron saint of India’s civil servants” for having established the modern all-India services system.
He is known as the Iron Man of India for uniting all 562 princely states of the pre-independent country to form the Republic of India.
He headed following committees:
- Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights.
- Committee on Minorities and Tribal and Excluded Areas.
- Provincial Constitution Committee.
The Statue of Unity, the world’s tallest statue, was dedicated to him on 31 October, 2018, which is approximately 182 m (597 ft) in height.