(MENAFN- Live Mint) National Unity Day, also known as Rashtriya Ekta Divas, celebrations are taking place all over India on 31 October to mark 150th birth anniversary of veteran freedom fighter Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Let's find out the more about this annual celebration.

What is National Unity Day?

Celebrating the country's first Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs who successfully persuaded around 560 princely states after Independence to join the Union of India. Noted for his contributions to the political integration of India, the legendary leader is fondly remembered today.

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Homage is paid to the iconic leader on his birth anniversary every year since 2014, that is when the day was officially recognised as“National Unity Day” by the Government of India.

Significance of National Unity Day

To nurture Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's vision of a united India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 October 2015 announced“Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” (EBSB) initiative.“EBSB promotes the idea of“unity in diversity” by pairing different States and Union Territories to strengthen emotional bonds through linguistic, cultural, and educational exchanges,” PIB press release states.

National Unity Day theme

The theme for this year's celebration is 'Unity in Diversity.'

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As the country remains grateful for Patel's crucial efforts, the Delhi government is celebrating the occasion with a two-month-long campaign titled“Sardar@150.”

Discussing the campaign beginning from 31 October, Education Minister Ashish Sood said,“The campaign is not only a tribute to India's great unifier Sardar Patel, but also a clarion call for the youth of India to embrace self-reliance, integrity, and national unity,” HT reported.

Starting from Patel Chowk,“Unity Marches” will take place across all 11 districts of Delhi at 6:00 pm today till the National War Memorial. The National Service Scheme (NSS), the National Cadet Corps (NCC), students, teachers, and volunteers are actively participating in the march which was promoted through the My Bharat platform.

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PM Modi called upon citizens across the nation to participate in the a nationwide marathon event titled 'Run for Unity.' Indian Air Force's air show by the Surya Kiran team will pay tribute to the visionary leadership. In Ekta Nagar (formerly Unity Town) in Narmada District, Gujarat, Bharat Parv will be celebrated from 1 November to 15. Cultural performances and a food festival from different states will be the highlight of the festivities. Furthermore, infrastructure projects worth ₹280 crore will be inaugurated in Ekta Nagar during the event week.

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