TO MARK the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on October 31, the Statue of Unity (SoU) will witness a grand celebration of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A detailed outline of the planned event was announced by Chief Secretary Pankaj Joshi and Director General of Police Vikas Sahay on Monday.
The celebration will include a moving parade modelled on the Republic Day parade by armed forces and a fly-past by planes of the Indian Air Force (IAF). As part of extended celebrations, a Bharat Parv will be organised at the venue under which various programmes reflecting India’s unity in diversity will be showcased between November 1 and 15.
According to an official release, 16 contingents from BSF, CISF, ITBP, CRPF, SSB, NCC, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Assam, Tripura, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh will participate in the National Unity Day parade (at the SoU). 16 medal-winning soldiers from BSF who participated in Operation Sindoor and five Shaurya Chakra awardees from CRPF will also take part in the parade, riding in an open jeep. The parade will be led by nearly 100 members of the Heralding Team, dressed in vibrant uniforms and playing a range of musical instruments.
The parade will feature 10 thematic tableaux, based on the theme of ‘Ekatva (Unity)’, presented by different states such as Jammu & Kashmir, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Puducherry, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Manipur, Chhattisgarh, and Uttarakhand and agencies like CRPF, NDRF and NSG.
The release said, “The IAF will present a fly-past under Operation Surya Kiran. There will be a joint rifle drill by women personnel of CRPF and Gujarat Police, a ‘Hell March’ by NSG, a motorcycle daredevil show by Assam Police, a dog show featuring Indian breeds by BSF, a traditional martial art display by women personnel of CISF and ITBP, a band display by SSB, and participation by NCC. The performances will be the major highlights for the audience.”
This year, for the special celebration, the seating capacity has been increased to accommodate over 11500 spectators. Also, on the occasion, a play ‘Loh Purush’ depicting the life and legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel will be performed by the National School of Drama under the initiative of the Ministry of Culture.
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At present, a Prakash Parv is already underway at SoU under which visitors can enjoy beautiful lighting and cultural performances every evening from 7 to 11 PM. For this, the route leading to the Valley of Flowers at Ekta Nagar has been divided into 13 theme-based zones. Each zone features roadside illumination displays along with photo and selfie points.
A Bharat Parv will also be celebrated at Ekta Nagar from November 1- 15. During these 15 days, there will be 45 food stalls, 55 handicraft and handloom stalls, various state pavilions, and cultural exhibitions representing 28 states and 8 Union Territories. As part of Bharat Parv 2025, cultural performances from two states will be showcased each evening highlighting their traditional art and culture.
The release said, “The 15-day celebration of Bharat Parv…will conclude with a Cyclothon event at the Statue of Unity. On November 16, a special cycling fun ride will be organised…followed by a Cyclothon competition on November 17..Around 5000 cyclists from across the country are expected to participate in this competition.”
