Bharat Parv to be held Nov 1-15 for Sardar Patel’s 150th: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday announced that ‘Bharat Parv 2025’ will be celebrated from November 1 to 15 to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The celebration will begin a day after National Unity Day (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas) on October 31 and will feature a Republic Day-like parade at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, the birthplace of the Iron Man of India.

Addressing a press conference in Patna, Shah said that National Unity Day will now be observed every year with a grand parade at the Statue of Unity, similar in scale to the Republic Day Parade in New Delhi. “This will be a parade of India’s unity, a symbol of our nation’s strength and diversity,” he said, adding that the event will serve as a platform to educate the younger generation about Patel’s life and ideals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the celebrations on Friday and take the salute of the marching contingents. The parade will feature women police officers leading the contingents, along with cultural performances by personnel from different states and paramilitary forces. Highlights will include the BSF Camel Contingent, Gujarat’s Mounted Cavalry, Assam Police’s Motorcycle Daredevil Show, and an air display by the Indian Air Force’s Surya Kiran team.

More than 900 artists from across the country will participate in the parade, presenting the diverse cultural heritage of India. “This will not just be a parade, but a celebration of the unity and spirit that defines our country,” Shah said.

The Bharat Parv 2025 festivities will conclude on November 15, coinciding with the birth anniversary of tribal icon Birsa Munda. A grand event will be held at the Statue of Unity showcasing tribal art, music, cuisine, and folk traditions to highlight the richness of India’s indigenous cultures.

Calling the event completely non-political, the Home Minister said it is dedicated to honouring Sardar Patel’s historic role in uniting 562 princely states into the Indian Union. As part of the celebrations, a nationwide “Run for Unity” will be held in schools and colleges this year.

Shah also accused the Congress of denying Sardar Patel due recognition, saying, “Despite being one of the key architects of India’s freedom struggle, Sardar Patel was not conferred the Bharat Ratna for 41 years. The previous governments ignored his legacy, but it was under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership that the world’s tallest statue, the Statue of Unity, was built in a record 57 months.”

He said that the Statue of Unity has become a major national attraction, with over 2.5 crore visitors so far. The surrounding Ekta Nagar region has been developed into a major tourist destination with 14 attractions. “Patel dedicated his life to farmers, and it is fitting that the iron used in his statue was collected from farmers across India,” Shah added.

Recalling Patel’s leadership, Shah said his determination during the 1928 Bardoli Satyagraha earned him the title of ‘Sardar’ from Mahatma Gandhi. “He was not just a historical figure but a foundational thinker who built the backbone of a united India,” the minister said, adding that the upcoming fortnight-long Bharat Parv would celebrate this enduring spirit of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat .