CM Rekha Gupta joins Ekta Daud at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium
Synopsis
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta participated in the Ekta Daud at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2026, joining Union Home Minister Amit Shah to honour Sardar Patel's legacy of national integration.
Key Takeaways
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is observed annually on 31 October to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, instituted in 2014 .
The Ekta Daud (Unity Run) at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah .
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta participated and renewed a public pledge to protect India's unity, integrity and sovereignty.
Sardar Patel oversaw the accession of more than 500 princely states into the Indian Union after 1947 .
The event was also attended by LG Taranjit Singh Sandhu , Union Ministers Mansukh Mandaviya , Nityanand Rai , Bandi Sanjay Kumar , and MP Bansuri Swaraj .
On Rashtriya Ekta Diwas — 31 October 2026 — hundreds laced up at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi to run in the name of national unity. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was among them, joining the Ekta Daud (Unity Run) inaugurated by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
In her post, CM Gupta framed the morning's run as far more than a ceremonial jog. 'Sardar Patel ji ne riyasaton ka vilay kar sadi yon se bikhari rashtriya aakankshao n ko ek akhand Bharat ka swaroop diya' — 'Sardar Patel ji, by integrating the princely states, gave a unified form to national aspirations that had been scattered for centuries.' Alongside Home Minister Shah, she said, she renewed a resolve to protect India's 'unity, integrity and sovereignty.'
Why October 31 carries this particular weight
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first Deputy Prime Minister, oversaw the accession of more than 500 princely states into the Union after 1947 — arguably the largest voluntary consolidation of territory in modern history. The central government instituted Rashtriya Ekta Diwas in 2014 specifically to anchor that legacy in public memory, anchoring it to Patel's birth date every 31 October.
Since then, the Ekta Daud has become an annual ritual across Indian cities — a combination of pledge-taking and public run that ties the 1947 integration story to a living, physical act of participation. Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, a storied sporting complex in central New Delhi, has served as the capital's primary venue for these observances.
A broad official presence on the stadium track
The event drew a notable assembly of central and Delhi government figures. Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Ministers of State Nityanand Rai and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Taranjit Singh Sandhu, and MP Bansuri Swaraj were all present, according to CM Gupta's post.
CM Gupta described the gathering as a reaffirmation — that the resolve to make India 'strong, secure and developed' along the lines Sardar Patel envisioned is, in her words, 'growing more firm under the leadership of the Home Minister.'
One run, one stadium, one date — but the symbolism stretches back more than seven decades to the man who stitched a nation together, one princely state at a time.
Point of View
Participatory ritual. CM Rekha Gupta's prominent role at the Delhi event, standing alongside Home Minister Shah, reinforces Delhi BJP leadership's close alignment with central government messaging on security and sovereignty. The invocation of Patel as a unifying figure also signals the ongoing political project of reclaiming integrationist iconography from across the ideological spectrum. As National Unity Day matures into its second decade, the scale and seniority of official participation have steadily risen — a deliberate amplification of the occasion's political weight.
NationPress
31 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rashtriya Ekta Diwas and why is it celebrated on 31 October?
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, or National Unity Day, is observed every year on 31 October — the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first Deputy Prime Minister. It was instituted by the central government in 2014 to honour his role in integrating more than 500 princely states into the Indian Union.
What is the Ekta Daud?
The Ekta Daud , or Unity Run, is a public run held on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas each year. Participants run and take a pledge to uphold India's unity, integrity and sovereignty. The 2026 edition in Delhi was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium .
Who attended the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas event in Delhi in 2026?
According to Delhi CM Rekha Gupta's post, the event was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah , Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya , Ministers of State Nityanand Rai and Bandi Sanjay Kumar , Delhi LG Taranjit Singh Sandhu , and MP Bansuri Swaraj .
What was Sardar Patel's role in Indian independence?
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel served as India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. He is credited with overseeing the accession of more than 500 princely states into the Indian Union after independence in 1947 , earning him the title 'Iron Man of India'.
Where is Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium located?
Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium is a multi-purpose sports complex located in New Delhi . It is regularly used for national commemorative events, including the annual Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Ekta Daud.
