CM Bhajan Lal leads Jaipur's Run for Unity on Patel's 151st birth anniversary
Synopsis
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma joined the Run for Unity at Amar Jawan Jyoti in Jaipur on Sardar Patel's 151st birth anniversary, calling national integration every Indian's 'greatest collective responsibility.'
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma participated in the Run for Unity on 31 October 2026 .
The event was held at Amar Jawan Jyoti, Janpath, Jaipur , a war-memorial site.
The occasion marked the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel .
National Unity Day was instituted by the Government of India on 31 October 2014 .
Patel integrated 565 princely states into the Indian Union after independence in 1947.
CM Sharma described protecting India's territorial integrity as citizens' 'greatest collective responsibility.'
On the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma joined the 'Run for Unity' event at Amar Jawan Jyoti, Janpath, Jaipur on 31 October 2026 — honouring the man who stitched a fractured subcontinent into a single republic.
Taking to X, CM Sharma reflected on the weight of that legacy: 'जिस एकजुट और सशक्त भारत की नींव रखने में सरदार पटेल जी ने अपनी पूरी जिंदगी लगा दी' — 'the united and empowered India whose foundation Sardar Patel devoted his entire life to building.' He called it the 'greatest collective responsibility' of every Indian to protect and carry forward that integrity.
The man behind the marathon's message
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, achieved what many considered diplomatically impossible: persuading 565 princely states to accede to the Indian Union in the turbulent months after 1947. That feat of political will earned him the title Loh Purush — the Iron Man. The Run for Unity is, in essence, a miles-long reminder that the country runners' feet cross each year was once a mosaic of kingdoms.
National Unity Day and Jaipur's Amar Jawan Jyoti
The Government of India instituted National Unity Day on 31 October 2014, locking Patel's birth anniversary into the national calendar as an annual prompt for civic reflection. The Run for Unity — held simultaneously across the country — is its most visible street-level expression, drawing participants from schools, colleges, and government offices.
The Amar Jawan Jyoti in Jaipur carries its own solemn weight as a war memorial site, making it a fitting backdrop for an event that fuses patriotic remembrance with physical participation. Rajasthan's state administration has consistently used the venue for high-profile national commemorations.
Unity as a recurring political theme in Rajasthan
Since 2014, state-level observances of National Unity Day have grown into major public events across BJP-governed states, threading Patel's philosophy of strong, centralised national cohesion into contemporary political messaging. CM Sharma's presence at the run signals that Rajasthan's current administration regards the anniversary not as a ceremonial footnote but as an active civic mobilisation moment.
Patel's vision of an undivided India — held together by institutional resolve rather than force alone — remains as contested and relevant in public discourse today as it was in the late 1940s. Every runner on Janpath this morning was, in a small way, casting a vote for it.
Point of View
Now in its thirteenth year as a national fixture, has evolved from a commemorative ritual into a recurring platform for BJP-led governments to anchor their political identity in Patel's legacy of strong national consolidation. CM Sharma's participation reinforces Rajasthan's alignment with that broader narrative at a time when questions of federal cohesion and national identity remain live political debates. Patel's strategic resurrection as a founding-era counterweight — a leader of decisive central authority — speaks to a persistent effort to broaden the BJP's historical claim on India's nation-building story. The choice of the Amar Jawan Jyoti venue adds a martial undertone, binding civil unity to military sacrifice in a single commemorative frame.
NationPress
31 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Run for Unity and why is it held on 31 October?
The Run for Unity is an annual nationwide running event held on 31 October to mark National Unity Day , which commemorates the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first Deputy Prime Minister who integrated 565 princely states after independence.
When was National Unity Day established in India?
National Unity Day was instituted by the Government of India in 2014 , designating 31 October — Sardar Patel's birthday — as an annual day of civic reflection on national integration.
Why is Sardar Patel called the Iron Man of India?
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel earned the title Loh Purush (Iron Man) for his extraordinary feat of peacefully persuading 565 princely states to join the Indian Union in the months immediately after independence in 1947 .
Where did Rajasthan's Run for Unity 2026 take place?
Rajasthan's Run for Unity 2026 was held at Amar Jawan Jyoti, Janpath, Jaipur , a war memorial site used for major national commemorations in the state.
What did CM Bhajan Lal Sharma say on Sardar Patel's 151st birth anniversary?
CM Sharma stated that protecting the unity and integrity of India — the foundation Patel devoted his entire life to building — is the 'greatest collective responsibility' of every Indian citizen.
