On 31 October, India observes National Unity Day - known as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas - to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The day was officially designated in 2014 by the Government of India to recognise his pivotal role in integrating over 560 princely states into the Indian Union after independence. 

Patel, often called the “Iron Man of India,” served as the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of independent India, and his leadership in consolidating the nation’s territorial and administrative integrity remains foundational. 

Today’s commemoration sees schools, institutions and government offices across the country organising pledges, unity-runs (“Run for Unity”), cultural programmes and panel discussions to promote the values of national integrity, diversity in unity and civic responsibility.

As India navigates a complex world of social and regional diversity, the spirit of National Unity Day serves as a reminder that its strength lies in togetherness - not uniformity - and that each citizen plays a role in preserving the social fabric that Patel envisioned.