Nation Marks National Unity Day With Tributes At The Statue Of Unity

The country observed Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, or National Unity Day, on Saturday, marking the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel with the flagship ceremony held at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat. National Unity Day is observed on October 31 each year, a day introduced in 2014 to commemorate Patel's role in the integration of the country's princely states after independence.

The annual celebrations at Ekta Nagar included the National Unity Day Parade, which brings together personnel from police and paramilitary forces. This year's programme featured a cultural presentation as part of the commemorative events staged near the statue, which stands on the banks of the Narmada.

Why it matters

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas has become a fixture of the government's official calendar, linking the commemoration of Sardar Patel to the theme of national integration. The Ekta Nagar ceremony, centred on the Statue of Unity, serves as the flagship event marking the day, with parallel pledge-taking and parade events held at institutions across the country.