National Integration Day (31 October) History, Significance, Theme and Observation

National Integration Day Quick Facts

National Integration Day Brief

National Unity Day is celebrated every year on 31 October across the country. This year in 2020 it was celebrated by people all over India on Saturday, 31 October to commemorate the 144th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

National Integration Day History

In October 2014, the Government of India announced to celebrate the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as 'National Unity Day' every year.

It is noteworthy that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born on October 31, 1875. The day was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 by laying flowers on the statue of Sardar Patel and flagging off the program 'Run for Unity' in New Delhi.

The objective of starting this event is to pay tribute to the great man, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary by remembering his extraordinary deeds for the country. He had worked really hard in keeping India united.

More info about National Integration Day

Biography of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel:

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was a freedom fighter of India. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born on 31 October 1875 in Nadiad, Gujarat. He became the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister after India's independence.

Important Interesting Facts about Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel:

• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was a farmer by heart and nature. Despite this, he received higher education and became a successful lawyer.
• Seeing the financial condition of the family, Sardar Patel refused to pursue higher education.
• Despite being the most capable leader of the Congress party in independent India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel could not become the Prime Minister. He became the Deputy Prime Minister.
• The India that is visible today is a group of 565 local princely states. Sardar Patel had created modern India by unifying these princely states.
• The Nizam of Hyderabad and the Nawab of Junagadh had flatly refused to merge their princely states into India. Sardar Patel used the army while showing his intelligence. In the year 1948, the Nizam of Hyderabad gave his consent to include himself in India.
• Jawahar Lal Nehru used to like western culture and Englishism. While Sardar Patel was away from the British.
• Sardar Patel turned down the post of Prime Minister because he did not want to split the Congress party.
• Sardar Patel proved to be a god to the refugees.
• If anyone deserved the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest honor, it was Sardar Patel. But it is sad that this honor was given to him very late in the year 1991.
• Sardar Patel wanted to keep the country safe. He had also made policies for this.
• Sardar Patel was an important member of the Constituent Assembly of India, which played an important role in making the Constitution of India.
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was never against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
• Sardar Patel was a nationalist. For him the country was first. It was the greatness of his personality that he never worked for the post but for the country.
• The Statue of Unity, dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, is a monument located in the Indian state of Gujarat, near the Narmada Dam, 3.2 km from Sadhu Bet near Vadodara. It is the tallest statue in the world, 54 meters taller than the Vasant Mandir Buddha. This statue related structures is spread over 20000 square meters and is surrounded by an artificial lake spread over 12 km and its estimated cost is 29.8 billion. It was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on 31 October 2018 on his 143rd anniversary.

What is National Unity?

National integration refers to the feeling of common identity among the people of the country to build a strong and developed nation even after living from different castes, cultures, religions and regions. It promotes unity in diversity and a sense of unity among people to great level.

It brings about a kind of ethnic and cultural equality among the people of different community. It can be said that it is the unity that was expressed among the common Indian people against the British rule during the Indian independence movement.

India is counted as one of the largest countries in the world, which is the second most populous country in the whole world, where languages ​​and dialects were spoken around 1652. This country incorporates all the major religions of the world such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Jainism, Islam, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism with different culture, food habits, traditions, dress and social customs. It is a diverse country with considerable variation in climate. Despite the major differences in the country, each part of it is very peacefully governed by the same constitution.

Objectives of National Unity Day:

• National Unity Day is celebrated every year to encourage about unity, peace, love and brotherhood among the people.
• To promote harmony among Indian people in spite of having culture, many languages, religions, geographical diversity in Indian society.
• To enable youth and other people of different religions to work in a group and understand each other through social, cultural, economic and education camps.
• To develop better understanding among youth about diverse ideas, religions and lifestyles to strengthen the unity of the people in the society.

What is National Integration Council?

The National Integration Council of India, an assembly of senior politicians and people, was set up to meet the needs of addressing problems such as casteism, communalism and regionalism in India.

It was first established by the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, in a convention organized in 1961, with the aim of fighting the problems that divide the country's unity as well as hinder progress.

It was reconstituted in April 2010 under the leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with 147 members. Meetings are organized from time to time by the members of the National Integration Council for the eradication of discrimination, promotion of communal harmony as well as control of communalism and violence from the country.

Important Days of October Month - (National Days and International Days):