Rashtriya Ekta Diwas: From Statue to Museum, How Sardar Patel's Legacy is Etched Across India - IN PICS

The legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel lives on in the names of streets, public buildings and institutions across India. Today marks the 150th birth anniversary of Patel, a freedom fighter who also served

as the country's first deputy prime minister and the home minister.Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, also known as National Unity Day, is observed annually on October 31 to commemorate his birth in 1875 at Karamsad in today's Gujarat.The nationalist leader, fondly known as the 'Iron Man of India', died on December 15, 1950, and soon after his demise, a number of public places, parks and streets in various cities were named or rechristened in his honour.An iconic bronze statue unveiled by then President S Radhakrishnan at a street square near the Parliament building in Delhi in 1963, a police museum in Kerala showcasing the history of Indian law enforcement, all echo the Indian leader's legacy.

Statue, Bhawan, Chowk Named After Patel In Delhi

In Delhi, a handsome statue was erected at a public roundabout that sits at the intersection of Parliament Street and Ashoka Road, and it now carries the name 'Patel Chowk'. A nearby Delhi Metro station is also named after it.Then President Radhakrishnan had unveiled it on September 18, 1963, at a street crossing which has been "named Sardar Square".

"The inscription on the statue -- 'Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel - architect of India's Unity' has been chosen by Prime Minister Nehru. Weighing three tons, the 13 ft-high bronze statue rests on a 18 ft-high pedestal," it said. On the 150th anniversary, the statue has been given a facelift, lamp posts have been lent a fresh paint job, and the flower beds spruced up, reported PTI citing a civic official.Further, an old government building facing Patel Chowk is named Sardar Patel Bhawan. In Delhi, Patel's legacy has also been honoured with a prominent street that runs from Mother Teresa Crescent to the Dhaula Kuan area, carrying his name -- Sardar Patel Marg.

Statue Of Unity In Gujarat

The world's tallest statue was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31, 2018, to spread the message of unity and patriotism. To mark the 150th birth anniversary, a National Unity Day parade was held at Kevadia's Ekta Nagar in Gujarat.

Patel Police Museum in Kerala

In the southern part, the legacy of the 'Iron Man' is celebrated through Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Police Museum in Kerala, housed in a heritage building.

In Patna, the Bihar Police headquarters, inaugurated in 2018, is named Sardar Patel Bhawan, while a prominent street in the government bungalow zone in the Bihar capital, which was originally named Mangles Road by the British, was renamed as Sardar Patel Marg after Independence.(With PTI inputs)