On the eve of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 151st birth anniversary, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel declared the state fully ready to host a grand celebration of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas at the Statue of Unity in Kevadia — with Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to lead the occasion on 31 October 2026.

In a post on X, CM Patel wrote in Gujarati: 'Gujarat aai aitihasik ujvani mate aatur ane sajja chhe' — 'Gujarat is eager and ready for this historic celebration.' He described the landmark as a fitting setting for a 'magnificent national festival,' invoking the Iron Man's legacy of forging a unified India from more than 500 princely states after independence.

Ekta Parade, security display, and 'Anand Math' on the programme

The CM outlined a multi-event celebration anchored around a grand 'Ekta Parade', a showcase of valour by India's security forces, and cultural programmes depicting the country's diversity. He also referenced a staging of the play 'Anand Math' as a highlight of the evening's cultural slate — a nod to the 19th-century Bengali novel that stoked early nationalist sentiment.

The Statue of Unity, inaugurated by PM Modi on 31 October 2018, stands as the world's tallest statue at 182 metres, towering over the Narmada river in Gujarat's Narmada district. Since its inauguration, the site has anchored the government's annual homage to Patel, drawing large crowds and security-force contingents each year.

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas: a decade of institutionalised tribute

The Government of India declared 31 October as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas in 2014, the same year PM Modi took office — cementing Sardar Patel's place at the centre of the ruling dispensation's national-unity narrative. The observance runs alongside the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat initiative, launched in 2015, which promotes cultural exchange among states and union territories as a living expression of the unity Patel made possible.

CM Patel closed his post with a call to action: 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat' and 'Viksit Bharat' — asking citizens to witness the celebration and renew their resolve toward a developed, indivisible India. The tag @narendramodi and hashtags #RashtriyaEktaDiwas and #EkBharatShreshthaBharat underscored the event's dual character — state-level logistics, national-level symbolism.

Gujarat has hosted these celebrations before, but the 151st birth anniversary carries extra numerical weight — and the Prime Minister's confirmed presence ensures this edition lands with full ceremonial force. All eyes now turn to Kevadia on the morning of 31 October.