Quick answer: India observed Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) on 31 October 2026, the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, with the main event at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat. The day before, on 30 October, the Prime Minister opened Bharat Parv 2026, a cultural festival of States and Union Territories at Ekta Nagar that runs until 15 November 2026.
Why Rashtriya Ekta Diwas and Bharat Parv 2026 are in the news
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Gujarat on 30 and 31 October 2026. On the evening of 30 October he inaugurated Bharat Parv 2026 at Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, and then saw the Ekta Prakash Parv light festival and the Narmada Aarti. On 31 October he offered floral tributes at the Statue of Unity, launched development projects in Ekta Nagar and attended the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas programme, which included the Ekta Parade of security forces.
The PMO named ‘Vande Mataram’ as the overarching theme for this year’s celebrations. It also said the parade would highlight how security forces have pushed back Left-Wing Extremism.
Key facts: Ekta Diwas 2026 at a glance
| Date | Event at Ekta Nagar | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Oct 2026 | Bharat Parv 2026 inaugurated | States and UTs display folk performances, regional cuisine, handicrafts and tourist attractions; open till 15 November 2026 |
| 30 Oct 2026 | Ekta Prakash Parv | A 530-metre illuminated Valley of Flowers Road and a 180-metre Glow Tunnel, lit by over 1.5 crore LED lights |
| 31 Oct 2026 | Development projects | Projects worth over ₹400 crore, including an IRCTC hotel, Narmada Ghat upgrade and the Rainforest and Eco Trail |
| 31 Oct 2026 | Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations | Ekta Parade by CAPFs, State Police and Central Police Organisations; cultural programme centred on Vande Mataram |
- Naxal Mukt Bharat play: The National School of Drama staged a theatrical presentation with about 2,000 artists from 126 districts affected by Left-Wing Extremism, according to the PMO.
- Cultural presentation: About 5,000 artists from across the country performed classical and folk forms.
- Parade line-up: LawStreet, citing the Home Ministry, reported 16 marching contingents. These came from the police of nine States and one Union Territory, four CAPFs and the NCC, and the programme also included a flypast by the IAF’s Surya Kiran aerobatic team.
What Rashtriya Ekta Diwas commemorates
The Government of India began observing 31 October as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas in 2014. The date is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birthday: he was born on 31 October 1875 at Nadiad, Gujarat. After Independence he became India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. Working with V. P. Menon, he led the negotiations that brought more than 560 princely states into the Indian Union, which earned him the title “Iron Man of India”. Earlier, the 1928 Bardoli Satyagraha had made him a national figure.
The day ties in with a constitutional value. Under Article 51A, every citizen has a fundamental duty to uphold the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.
Statue of Unity: static GK to revise
- Height: 182 metres, making it the world’s tallest statue. The height was chosen to match the number of seats in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly.
- Location: Sadhu Bet island on the Narmada, near Kevadia (Ekta Nagar) in Narmada district, facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam.
- Inauguration: 31 October 2018, which was Patel’s 143rd birth anniversary.
- Design and construction: Designed by sculptor Ram V. Sutar and built by Larsen & Toubro.
- Recognition: Included in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s “8 Wonders of SCO” list.
Exam angle: how NDA, CDS and CAPF can ask this
- National days and the persons linked to them come up often in NDA and CDS general studies. Remember the pairing of 31 October with Sardar Patel and Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.
- CAPF aspirants should note the parade’s focus on CAPFs and the campaign against Left-Wing Extremism, which ties into internal security topics.
- Modern history questions on the integration of princely states (Patel and V. P. Menon) and on peasant movements such as Bardoli are standard static GK.
- Geography: the Statue of Unity stands on the Narmada, India’s longest west-flowing river.
Practice MCQs
Q1. Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2026 marked which birth anniversary of Sardar Patel?
(a) 149th (b) 150th (c) 151st (d) 152nd
Answer: (c) — Patel was born in 1875, so 2026 marks his 151st birth anniversary.
Q2. The Statue of Unity is located on which river?
(a) Tapi (b) Narmada (c) Sabarmati (d) Mahi
Answer: (b) — it stands on Sadhu Bet island on the Narmada, facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam.
Q3. Bharat Parv 2026 at Ekta Nagar is scheduled to run until:
(a) 31 October (b) 1 November (c) 15 November (d) 26 November
Answer: (c) — according to the PMO, the festival continues until 15 November 2026.
Q4. Which satyagraha earned Vallabhbhai Patel the title “Sardar”?
(a) Champaran (b) Kheda (c) Bardoli (d) Vaikom
Answer: (c) — he led the Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928.
Frequently asked questions
When is Rashtriya Ekta Diwas observed?
Every year on 31 October, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary. The Government of India started the observance in 2014.
What was the theme of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2026?
The PMO said ‘Vande Mataram’ was the overarching theme, and the tableaux and cultural performances were built around it.
What is Bharat Parv 2026?
A cultural festival at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, in the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. States and UTs show their traditions, food and crafts there. It opened on 30 October 2026 and runs until 15 November 2026.
How tall is the Statue of Unity?
182 metres. It is the world’s tallest statue and was inaugurated on 31 October 2018.
Also read on NCA: Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak | Monthly defence current affairs PDFs | CAPF coaching in Chandigarh
Sources: Prime Minister’s Office, Akashvani News, LawStreet Journal, Statue of Unity (Wikipedia), Bardoli Satyagraha (Wikipedia). Facts as reported up to 5 November 2026.
Featured image background: Veera.sj / Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
