National Unity Day (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas) 2025 – October 31 

National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is observed on 31 October to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the “Iron Man of India.”

• 31 October 2025 marks the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Background:

Declaration: In 2014, the Government of India (GoI) led by Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi declared October 31, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, to be observed as National Unity Day to honor his efforts in uniting India.

First Observation: The first National Unity Day was observed on 31 October 2014.

About Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel:

Profession: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born on 31 October 1875 in Nadiad, Gujarat, and pursued a career as a lawyer.

Leadership: In 1931, he was elected President of the Indian National Congress (INC).

Deputy PM: On 15 August 1947, he became the first Deputy Prime Minister(PM) and the first Home Minister of independent India under former PM Jawaharlal Nehru.

• He also served as India’s first Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

Contribution: He played a key role in establishing the All India Services system, earning him the title “Patron Saint of India’s Civil Servants.”

Demise: He died on 15 December 1950 at Birla House in Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra.

2025 Events:

Celebration: 

Event: The annual National Unity Day celebration, coordinated by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (MoPP&P), was held at Statue of Unity, Ekta Nagar, Gujarat.

Participation: The event featured the participation of around 660 trainee Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers from the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA).

Grand Unity Parade: 

Lead: On 31 October 2025, to mark the 150th Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary or National Unity Day, PM Narendra Modi led a major ‘Unity Parade’ at Statue of Unity, Kevadia, Gujarat. He administered the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Pledge.

Parade: The Grand Unity Parade featured 16 contingents, comprising personnel from the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), National Cadet Corps (NCC), and police forces from various states, including Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), Punjab, Assam, Odisha, Kerala ,Andaman & Nicobar(A&N) Islands, Manipur, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Puducherry, and Maharashtra.

Leadership: The parade was led by a Heralding Team of nearly 100 members, dressed in vibrant uniforms and performing with a variety of musical instruments.

Key Attractions: This year’s highlights include a BSF marching contingent featuring Indian breed dogs such as Rampur Hounds and Mudhol Hounds, along with special performances by the Gujarat Police’s Horse Contingent, the Assam Police’s Motorcycle Daredevil Show, and the BSF’s Camel Contingent with its Camel Mounted Band.

Honour: The parade honoured five Shaurya Chakra awardees from the CRPF and sixteen gallantry medal winners from the BSF.

Tableaux:The event also showcased 10 theme-based tableaux (TBTs) representing the achievements and cultural diversity of different Indian states under the overarching theme of “Unity.”

Commemorative coin & Postage stamp: 

Release: During the event, PM Narendra Modi released a Rs.150 commemorative coin and a postage stamp in tribute to Sardar Patel as part of the 150th-birth-anniversary celebrations.

About Coin:

• Issuance: The Rs.150 Commemorative Coin was issued by the India Government Mint (IGM) under the Ministry of Finance (MoF).
• Design & Dimensions: The coin is circular in shape with a diameter of 44 millimeter(mm), weighs 40 grams, and is made of 99.9% pure silver(Ag).
• Obverse Side (Front): Displays the Lion Capital of Ashoka at the centre with “सत्यमेव जयते” below, “भारत” on the left, “INDIA” on the right, and the denomination value “Rs.150” at the bottom.
• Reverse Side (Back): Depicts a portrait of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel with the inscription “Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel 150th Birth Anniversary” along the upper periphery and the years “1875–2025” below.

About Stamp:

• Issuance: The stamp was issued by the Department of Posts (DoP), Ministry of Communications.
• Design: It features a portrait of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel alongside the Statue of Unity, symbolizing his role in national integration.
• Denomination & Format: The stamp carries a denomination of Rs.5, printed in multicolour offset on phosphor-coated gummed stamp paper.
• Inscription: The upper periphery bears the inscription “Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel – 150th Birth Anniversary (1875–2025)”, with “भारत INDIA” printed on the left and right sides, respectively.

Bharat Parv 2025: 

Announcement:Union Minister Amit Shah, Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA), announced that ‘Bharat Parv 2025’ would be celebrated from 1 to 15 November 2025 in Ekta Nagar  to commemorate Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 150th birth anniversary.

• He announced that the MHA had decided to organize a grand parade every year on 31st October.

Conclusion: The celebration concluded on 15 November 2025 with special events marking Birsa Munda Jayanti, honouring the heritage and spirit of India’s tribal communities.

‘Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak’ Award:

Announcement: On October 31, 2025, the MHA announced that 1,466 personnel from various States/Union Territories (UTs), Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), and Central Police Organisations (CPOs) were awarded the Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak for the year 2025.

Institution: The medal, instituted through an MHA notification dated 1 February 2024, aims to recognize outstanding work in four key areas — Special Operations, Investigation, Intelligence, and Forensic Science.

Click here to view the list of awardee

IAF Fly-Past :

Event: As part of the 2025 National Unity Day celebrations, the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted a fly-past over the Statue of Unity at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, to honour Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s legacy.

Highlight: The aerial display was led by the renowned “Suryakiran” aerobatic team and featured a ceremonial flower-petal drop over the statue as a mark of honour and respect.