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The 141st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s first deputy prime minister, was celebrated Oct. 31 in the presence of a large number of the community members at the Indian Consulate in Chicago.
As part of the celebrations, the consulate organized a photo exhibition on the life and times of Sardar Patel as well as a 39-minute documentary on Patel who was also Independent India’s first home minister. The documentary was titled “A Man of Silence – Sardar Vallabbhai Patel”.
Consul General Ausaf Sayeed, in his opening remarks, described Patel as an “extraordinary and visionary leader, a social reformer thinker and a freedom fighter” who was a staunch Gandhian.
Sayeed noted that Sardar Patel had participated in “No Tax campaign” against the British to protect the farmers of Kaira from unfair taxation. Later in 1928 he led the Bardoli Satyagraha which was also a nontax movement.
Patel, also known as the ‘Iron Man of India’ also played a crucial role not only during the freedom struggle of India but also in the post-Independent in terms of political consolidation of India as he was instrumental in the integration of over 500 princely states into the Indian Union.
Sayeed told the audience that the Indian government through various programs in India Oct. 31 commemorated Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary and declared Oct 31 to be annually as the Rashtriya Ekta Divas, or national unity day.
On the occasion, Sayeed briefed the audience about 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention being held in Bengaluru Jan. 7-9 next year. He also appealed to PIOs/OCIs for maximum registration and their participation in the PBD Convention. A power point presentation covering key features of the convention was also given by the consulate during the celebration.
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