Ekta Diwas: Why Sardar Patel’s Vision of a United India Still Matters

India’s National Unity Day is a reminder of one of the most difficult tasks the country faced after independence: bringing hundreds of princely states together and building a nation out of a deeply divided political landscape. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was at the centre of that effort.

On October 31, India observes Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, or National Unity Day, marking the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the country’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. For most Indians, Patel is remembered as the man who helped bring the princely states into the Indian Union. But his contribution was much bigger than that. He was dealing with a country whose political future was far from certain, barely weeks after the British had left.

When India became independent in August 1947, it inherited a complicated political map. Alongside the territories directly administered by the British were 565 princely states, each ruled by its own monarch and enjoying varying degrees of autonomy. With British paramountcy coming to an end, their rulers were left to decide what came next. Some entertained the idea of independence, while others were uncertain about joining India or Pakistan.

For the new Indian leadership, this was more than an administrative headache. A country that had just won its freedom risked breaking into smaller political units before it had even found its feet.

Patel recognized the danger early. Working closely with V.P. Menon, who headed the States Department, he set about persuading the rulers to join the Indian Union. Negotiations were often difficult, and not every ruler was willing to cooperate. More than 560 princely states eventually became part of India, although a handful of cases required much more than diplomacy.

Junagadh and Hyderabad were among the most difficult. Hyderabad, in particular, remained outside the Indian Union until September 1948, when the Indian government launched Operation Polo. The operation ended the Nizam’s rule and brought the state into India. It was a reminder that Patel’s approach was not based on persuasion alone. He was prepared to take decisive action when he believed the country’s territorial integrity was at stake.

Patel was the political figure who gave the integration effort its direction and determination. Without that leadership, the process could have been considerably more difficult.

Why Patel’s legacy is being revisited

Patel’s place in India’s political history has become a subject of renewed attention over the past decade. In 2014, the government introduced Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, and in 2018, the 182-metre Statue of Unity was inaugurated in Gujarat. It is now the tallest statue in the world.

The renewed focus has also brought back an old debate about how India remembers its founding leaders. Jawaharlal Nehru occupied a prominent place in the country’s post-independence political narrative, while Patel’s admirers have long argued that his contribution to national integration did not receive the recognition it deserved.

What makes Patel particularly important is that he understood the practical challenges of running a newly independent country. Freedom from colonial rule was only the first step. India needed a functioning administration, strong institutions and a government capable of exercising authority across an enormous and diverse territory. Patel’s work in integrating the princely states was central to that effort.

Unity does not mean everyone has to be the same

There is a larger lesson in India’s experience, one that is relevant beyond its borders, including in Israel. How does a country maintain national cohesion when its population has different religious identities, languages, cultural traditions and political beliefs?

India is home to Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Jews and several other communities. Its Constitution guarantees equality before the law, freedom of religion and the protection of cultural rights. The country’s constitutional vision was built around the idea that people with different identities could still belong to the same nation.

That distinction matters. Unity does not mean uniformity, and patriotism should not be reduced to religious identity or unquestioning support for the government. People must be able to disagree with those in power without being made to feel that they are questioning the country itself.

At the same time, no government can afford to be indifferent to terrorism, separatist violence or organised attempts to undermine national security. Every state has a responsibility to protect its territorial integrity and its citizens. The difficult part is maintaining that security without confusing peaceful dissent with a threat to the nation.

India and Israel have their own distinct histories and political realities, but both understand what it means to operate in challenging geopolitical environments. Their relationship has expanded considerably, particularly in defence, intelligence, agriculture and technology. The partnership is increasingly driven by strategic interests, and India’s experience of building political cohesion is an important part of understanding how it approaches questions of sovereignty and national security.

The work of nation-building continues

A statue can honour a leader, but it cannot do the work of nation-building. That requires functioning institutions, economic opportunities, access to education and a sense among citizens that they have an equal stake in the country’s future.

This is perhaps the most relevant part of Patel’s legacy today. India did not become a united country simply because the British left. It took difficult negotiations, political judgement and, in some cases, decisive action to bring the princely states together. Patel understood that the survival of the new republic depended on getting this right.

On Ekta Diwas, remembering him should mean more than celebrating his achievements or revisiting the politics of his recognition. It should also mean understanding the challenge he faced and the responsibility that comes with preserving what was built.

Patel helped bring India together at a moment when its future was uncertain. Keeping that union strong, while respecting the diversity of the people who make up the country, remains an unfinished responsibility.