BRICS youth delegates visit Statue of Unity, learn Sardar Patel's legacy
Synopsis
Young leaders from across BRICS nations stood at the foot of the world's tallest statue and heard the story of the man who stitched a nation together. The Ekta Nagar visit was more than sightseeing — it was India's soft-power pitch to the next generation of BRICS decision-makers, packaged inside its own BRICS Chairship agenda.
Key Takeaways
BRICS youth delegates visited the Statue of Unity at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat on 20 August .
The 182-metre statue served as the venue for briefings on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's role in India's unification.
The visit was part of the BRICS Youth Council Meeting and Youth Summit held in Gandhinagar under India's BRICS Chairship .
The summit covered education, inclusive development, environmental responsibility, and youth participation.
The BRICS Youth Council discussed a draft joint statement and a framework for institutional youth cooperation.
Officials including Additional Collector Gopal Bamniya and Deputy Collector Nirav Paritosh accompanied the delegation.
Young delegates from BRICS member and partner countries visited the Statue of Unity at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat on 20 August, gaining first-hand insight into Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's pivotal role in India's nation-building as part of the BRICS Youth Council Meeting and Youth Summit being held under India's BRICS Chairship this year. The visit, organised a day after the two-day summit commenced in Gandhinagar, brought together young representatives, innovators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers to explore both India's unification history and its emerging tourism infrastructure.
What the Delegates Saw and Heard
At Ekta Nagar, the delegation received a detailed briefing on the life of Sardar Patel, his contribution to unifying the Indian subcontinent, and his enduring legacy in promoting national integrity. The 182-metre statue — the world's tallest — served as a backdrop for discussions on India's cultural diversity and heritage.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Statue of Unity delivered a presentation covering the overall development of Ekta Nagar, the tourism attractions built in the area, and the visitor facilities available. The session also highlighted ongoing development initiatives and the tourism infrastructure that has transformed the region since the statue's inauguration.
Summit Focus Areas
The BRICS Youth Summit in Gandhinagar has centred on four broad themes: education and future preparedness, inclusive development, environmental responsibility, and youth participation in governance and civic life. The BRICS Youth Council also deliberated on measures to strengthen institutional cooperation, including a draft joint statement and a proposed framework for long-term BRICS youth collaboration.
Notably, youth engagement has been flagged as a cornerstone of India's BRICS Chairship agenda this year, reflecting a broader diplomatic push to deepen people-to-people ties across member nations.
Officials Who Accompanied the Visit
Additional Collector Gopal Bamniya, Deputy Collector Nirav Paritosh, and District Youth Development Officer Dilip Desai were among the officials who accompanied the delegation during the Ekta Nagar visit.
Broader Significance
The excursion forms part of a wider BRICS youth engagement programme designed to foster dialogue, mutual understanding, and cooperative frameworks among the next generation of leaders from participating countries. For many foreign delegates, the visit offered a rare opportunity to experience India's development story — and the values of unity and integrity it projects — through one of its most iconic landmarks.
As India's BRICS Chairship continues, further youth-focused engagements are expected to build on the outcomes of the Gandhinagar summit.
Point of View
And showcasing it to young leaders from BRICS nations signals how India wants its unity narrative received internationally. What is less visible in the optics is whether the summit's draft joint statement and cooperation framework will translate into durable institutional outcomes, or remain aspirational documents. Youth diplomacy under BRICS Chairships has historically produced declarations that fade between presidencies. The test for India will be whether the Gandhinagar framework survives the handover of the chair.
NationPress
21 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did BRICS youth delegates visit the Statue of Unity?
The delegates visited the Statue of Unity at Ekta Nagar on 20 August as part of the BRICS Youth Council Meeting and Youth Summit held in Gandhinagar under India's BRICS Chairship. The visit was designed to give foreign youth representatives insight into Sardar Patel's role in India's nation-building and the country's cultural heritage.
What is the BRICS Youth Summit in Gandhinagar about?
The two-day summit brought together young representatives, innovators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers from BRICS member and partner countries to discuss youth cooperation. Key themes included education and future preparedness, inclusive development, environmental responsibility, and youth participation in governance.
What did the Statue of Unity CEO present to the delegates?
The Chief Executive Officer of the Statue of Unity briefed delegates on the overall development of Ekta Nagar, the Statue of Unity project, tourism attractions in the area, and visitor facilities. The presentation also covered development initiatives and tourism infrastructure built at the site.
What institutional outcomes emerged from the BRICS Youth Council meeting?
The BRICS Youth Council discussed a draft joint statement and a proposed framework for long-term BRICS youth cooperation, aimed at strengthening institutional ties among member and partner countries. Final outcomes are expected to be formalised as part of India's BRICS Chairship agenda.
Who is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and why is he significant?
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, widely credited with integrating over 500 princely states into the Indian Union after independence in 1947. The Statue of Unity at Ekta Nagar was built in his honour and stands as the world's tallest statue at 182 metres.
