National Unity day (also known as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas) is celebrated every year on the 31st of October by people all through India. Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day was introduced by the Government of India in 2014 with the aim of celebrating this event every year on 31st October.
The aim of introducing this event is to pay tribute to the great man, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, on his birth anniversary by remembering his extraordinary works for the country. He really worked hard in keeping India united.
What is the purpose of celebrating National Unity Day (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas)?
On this day (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas), Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a famous personality for uniting India, celebrates his birthday (birth anniversary). Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is an annual celebration of Patel’s birth anniversary, which was declared by the central government in Delhi in 2014. It aimed to pay tribute to him for his great efforts made to unite India.
In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a program called ‘Run For Unity’ in New Delhi. He paid floral tribute to Sardar Patel’s statue.
About Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
It was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who worked hard to make India an “Ek Bharat”, or united India. He also requested the people of India to live together by uniting in order to create Shresth Bharat (Foremost India). Sardar Patel was born on the 31st of October in 1875 in Karamsand, Gujarat.
A barrister, statesman, leader of the Indian National Congress, and one of the founding fathers of the Republic of India, he was also called Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel and died in Bombay, Bombay State, India, on December 15, 1950. In order to achieve independence and build an independent and united nation, Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel worked hard as a social leader.
He made huge efforts to restore peace all across the nation. He was also the first chairman and founder of the E.M.H.S (Edward Memorial High School Borsad, currently named as Jhaverbhai Dajibhai Patel High School).
His dedication to the national integration was completely uncompromising in order to make a newly liberated united country. His dedication to unity in the country made him able to integrate more than 500 independent princely states in 1947 to 1949 from the British rule through the Independence Act of 1947.
National Unity Day: How is it celebrated?
National Unity Day is celebrated by the people of India by organizing a variety of events. A floral tribute is given to the statue of Sardar Patel every year at the Patel Chowk, Parliament Street, New Delhi in the morning.
Various programs are organized by the government of India to mark the occasion such as a run for unity, pledge taking ceremony march past by the Indian police.
In addition to creating banners and posters to spread the message of unity and security, students from various colleges and schools also perform essay writing, speech reciting, quiz competitions, paintings, rhyme recitations, art-making competitions, debates about the topic, etc.
The main objective of organizing a variety of programs on this day is to promote national integration among citizens of India as well as maintain the unity and integrity of the country.
Variety of activities play a great role in conveying the message about the importance of unity in maintaining peace, keeping public places clean, security, removing threats, etc in the country.
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| October Social Events | Date of Celebration |
| National Voluntary Blood Donation Day | 1st October |
| International Day for Elderly People | 1st October |
| Gandhi Jayanti | 2nd October |
| Anti Untouchability Week | 2nd to 8th October |
| Wildlife Week | 2nd to 8th October |
| World Habitat Day | First Monday of the month of October |
| Air Force Day | 8th October |
| World Post Day | 9th October |
| International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction | 11th October |
| World Standards Day | 14th October |
| World Students Day | 15th October |
| World Food Day | 16th October |
| World Savings Day | 30th October |
| National Unity Day | 31st October |