To many of us, remembering our country’s great struggle for independence takes us back to reliving the strife and struggle – blood, sweat and tears shed by our great leaders and freedom fighters. Of the many strong personalities, the image of the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel comes to the forefront when we seeIndia today which has emerged as an important secular country, with a distinct character of Unity in Diversity.
Reverberating the powerful words Unity in Diversity, Indiaremembers with much pride and respect Sardar Patel as the real unifier of India. The outstanding achievements and the colossal contribution of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to make India a united ‘Ek Bharat’ and an independent nation must always be kept uppermost in our memory.
On the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, the Indian government declared National Unity Day to honour his hardships and sincere endeavour in uniting the nation. We have been observing this day October 31 as the ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’ or National Unity Day. The day is based on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s massive success in uniting India by bringing together 565 different princely territories scattered all over India. As the country’s first Deputy Prime Minister, he played a key role in convincing the princely states to align and be a strong united Indian Union. On this day, people remember and honour these outstanding achievements of the great leader.
The Government of India has erected a gigantic statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel beside the Narmada River in Gujarat in his honour and remembrance. The Statue of Unity is the world’s tallest statue. It was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on 31st October 2018 as a tribute to him.
This dayis a symbol of unity amongst Indians. It is celebrated across the country with similar themes, events and programs occurring in schools, universities and offices. Everyone, young and old commemorates the nation’s togetherness in various events, spreading knowledge of the significance of the day in different sections of the country.
On the day, a pledge is read out in government offices to preserve the unity, integrity and security of the nation. We as Indians must strive to keep alive the spirit of unification of our country which was made possible by the vision and actions of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
This year marks the 147th birth anniversary of the great leader who contributed very constructively as the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Independent India.
Unity in Diversity is very crucial for a diverse country. The official statement for National Unity Day of India cites that this Day “will provide an opportunity to re-affirm the inherent strength and resilience of our nation to withstand the actual and potential threats to the unity, integrity and security of our country.”
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel said “Remain united. March forward in all humility, but fully awake to the situation you face, demanding your rights and firmness.”
Remembering the inspiring quote by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and living the true value of these powerful words in our everyday life would be in the true sense a befitting tribute to his memory. He wanted every Indian to remember that he is an Indian first above anything else. Hence let us take our nation forward with faith and respect in the beliefs and dreams held by our great leader and keep echoing – United we stand, divided we fall.
India’s incredible diversity and togetherness send the message loud and clear that the nation is more powerful than any one faith or group of people in particular. We are currently 1.3 billion people living in peace and harmony as the second-largest population in the world.
Unity in Diversity is better than Unity in Similarities. The youth are crucial in developing a country. It can support and give strength to a nation’s growth and advancement. Youth are also in charge of bringing about social reformation in a nation. The future of a nation is very much in its youth.
In recent times, communalism has become a severe issue in our country. Communalism has proven to be malignant for the unity of our country. Hence, everyone should spread the word about it to erase such feelings and strive to preserve the Unity, Integrity and Sovereignty of our country.
Unity among different states is as essential as the unity among the citizens. National unity is strengthened with stronger ties among the different states and peaceful solutions to any dispute that arise.
We need to hail the guiding Indian philosophy of Unity in Diversity, which promotes stability in our nation.
Happy National Unity Day 2022!
Dr G. S. Matharoo
Chairman
Prudence Group of Schools