Amit Shah joins Ekta Run in Delhi on National Unity Day
Synopsis
Union Home Minister Amit Shah joined the Ekta Run in New Delhi on National Unity Day, 31 October 2026, honouring Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's legacy of national integration and calling his life an inspiration of sacrifice and patriotism for India's youth.
Key Takeaways
Union Home Minister Amit Shah participated in the Ekta Run in New Delhi on 31 October 2026 , live-streaming the event.
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) is observed every 31 October to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel .
Patel, India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, integrated over 500 princely states into the Indian Union after 1947 .
The Government of India formally instituted Rashtriya Ekta Diwas in 2014 .
Shah described Patel's life as an inspiration of tyaag (sacrifice) and rashtraprem (patriotism) for every young Indian.
On the 131st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stepped out onto the streets of New Delhi on 31 October 2026 to join the 'Ekta Run' — a public run marking Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) — live-streaming the moment for the nation.
Shah wrote on X: 'Sardar sahab ka jeevan har yuva ke liye tyaag aur rashtraprem ki prerna hai' — 'Sardar Patel's life is an inspiration of sacrifice and patriotism for every young person' — sharing a live broadcast of the Ekta Run unfolding in the capital.
The man New Delhi remembers every 31 October
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, accomplished one of modern history's most remarkable feats of statecraft: the peaceful integration of over 500 princely states into the Indian Union in the months after independence in 1947. Without that effort, the political map of South Asia would look strikingly different today. It is that act — of holding a fractured subcontinent together through negotiation, persuasion, and firm resolve — that National Unity Day was designed to keep alive in public memory.
How Rashtriya Ekta Diwas became an annual institution
In 2014, the Government of India formally instituted Rashtriya Ekta Diwas on 31 October to give Patel's legacy an annual, structured home on the national calendar. The Ekta Run in New Delhi is the centrepiece event — a deliberately participatory, physical act designed to draw in citizens, and especially young Indians, rather than confine commemoration to a wreath-laying ceremony. Successive editions have added state-level editions and unity pledges across the country.
Why the youth message matters to Shah
The Home Minister's framing was pointed: Patel's life as a model of tyaag (sacrifice) and rashtraprem (love of the nation) aimed squarely at younger Indians. The current administration has consistently used Patel's integrationist legacy as a unifying national symbol — from the Statue of Unity in Gujarat to institutionalised runs and pledges on this date each year. The Ekta Run, broadcast live, extends that message beyond Delhi to wherever a screen is open.
Point of View
Using annual Ekta Diwas events to project an integrationist identity that appeals across regional lines. Shah's live broadcast of the Ekta Run signals a deliberate effort to modernise this commemoration — moving it from ceremonial wreath-laying to a participatory, youth-facing, digitally amplified moment. The explicit youth framing also serves a longer political purpose: anchoring themes of sacrifice and patriotism to a generation that did not witness Partition-era statecraft. How widely state governments adopt and expand the Ekta Run format will be a measure of the initiative's true national reach.
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 on 31 October every year to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel , India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. The Government of India formally instituted the observance in 2014 to honour Patel's role in integrating over 500 princely states into the Indian Union.
What is the Ekta Run?
The Ekta Run is a public run held in New Delhi and across India on 31 October as part of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations. It is designed to encourage citizen participation — especially among youth — in a physical, community-based act of national unity.
What did Amit Shah say about Sardar Patel on National Unity Day 2026?
Amit Shah said that Sardar Patel's life is an inspiration of sacrifice ( tyaag ) and patriotism ( rashtraprem ) for every young person, sharing the sentiment while joining the Ekta Run live in New Delhi.
Why is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel called the 'Iron Man of India'?
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel earned the title 'Iron Man of India' for his determined effort to integrate over 500 princely states into the Indian Union after independence in 1947 , a diplomatic and strategic achievement that shaped the country's modern territorial boundaries.
When did India start celebrating National Unity Day?
India began formally celebrating Rashtriya Ekta Diwas in 2014 , when the Government of India instituted the observance on 31 October — Sardar Patel's birth anniversary — to promote national integration.
