On the birth anniversary of the man who stitched 565 princely states into a single nation, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann offered a tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on Saturday, 31 October 2026, calling his legacy an eternal source of inspiration for every Indian.

Writing in Punjabi, CM Mann saluted Patel — revered across the country as the 'Loh Purush' (Iron Man) and architect of India's unity — with the words 'koti-koti pranam', meaning a salute from millions. He described Patel's 'great contribution in uniting the country and preserving its integrity' as a guiding light, and called on all citizens to collectively renew their pledge to strengthen communal harmony on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day).

The Iron Man's unfinished revolution — and why it still resonates

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, born on 31 October 1875, served as independent India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. In the months immediately after 1947, he oversaw one of history's most audacious feats of statecraft: persuading or pressuring the rulers of 565 princely states — covering roughly 48 per cent of the subcontinent's land area — to accede to the Indian Union. Without that integration, the map of modern India would look unrecognisably fragmented.

His method was a mix of diplomacy, quiet threat, and sheer administrative will, earning him the 'Iron Man' sobriquet that has since transcended party lines. Leaders across the political spectrum invoke his name to reinforce themes of territorial integrity and communal cohesion — particularly potent messaging in a state like Punjab, which shares an international border and carries its own living memory of partition.

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas — from 2014 declaration to annual ritual

National Unity Day was instituted by the central government in 2014, formally anchoring 31 October as an annual occasion to reflect on Patel's integrationist vision. Since then, the day has become a fixture in the political calendar: state governments organise unity runs, school pledges, and official ceremonies, while public figures from the ruling dispensation to the opposition queue up with tributes.

For CM Mann, posting in Punjabi to his substantial social-media following, the message carries a dual register — honouring a national icon while reinforcing the theme of 'bhaicharak saanjh' (communal brotherhood) that resonates deeply in Punjab's own plural social fabric.

Patel's statue — the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Gujarat, standing at 182 metres — remains the world's tallest, a physical monument to the integrationist narrative his anniversary renews each year. National Unity Day is now as much about the idea India chooses to project as about the man himself.