What Patel perhaps symbolises most today are the near lost virtues of a firm political will and a solid sense of national unity, says Anirban Ganguly.
A gold medallist from JJ School of Art and Architecture, Mumbai, Sutar, has to his credit a long list of achievements.
Opposition leaders have criticized Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's remarks about Jawaharlal Nehru's alleged desire to build the Babri Masjid with public funds, accusing him and the BJP of distorting historical facts.
The Congress party launched a scathing attack on the RSS on its 100th anniversary, citing excerpts from a book claiming Mahatma Gandhi described the Sangh as a "communal body with a totalitarian outlook." The party also referenced Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's criticism of the RSS.
Those who are so quick to claim Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's mantle but who fail to do him justice and actually diminish and distort him will learn that we must dare to be ambitious, confident and try for the best outcomes for India, says National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon
The prime minister said everyone in the country is proud of Patel's contribution to India before it attained freedom and during the early years after the nation became independent.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in a country-wide marathon to be organised on October 31 to celebrate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a Union Minister said on Wednesday.
Narendra Modi's recent observation that India's fate would have been different had Sardar Patel been the country's first prime minister, instead of Jawaharlal Nehru, has caused a stampede of public opinion.
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge criticizes Home Minister Amit Shah, calling him 'incompetent' and demanding his resignation following a deadly blast in Delhi, citing intelligence failure and lack of accountability.
On the eve of Sardar Patel's birth anniversary rediff.com publishes exclusive excerpts of his soon to be published book Sardar: The Saint Emperor.
On the eve of Sardar Patel's birth anniversary rediff.com publishes exclusive excerpts of his soon to be published book Sardar: The Saint Emperor.
'Nehru's hegemonic politics has been responsible for many ills, which undoubtedly includes Kashmir'
Invoking Sardar Patel, BJP's prime ministerial hopeful, Narendra Modi asked the people of Gujarat to pay homage to the legendary freedom fighter by voting him to power in Delhi, and said if he is sent to jail he will open a tea stall there.
The 182-metre 'Statue of Unity', being built at Sadhu Bet in Narmada district, is slated to be inaugurated by Modi on Patel's birth anniversary on October 31.
The Congress on Tuesday accused Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to appropriate Sardar Patel's legacy, which "belongs to Congress", and reminded that Patel had said that it was the "communal poison of RSS" which killed Mahatma Gandhi.
Take Kashmir but don't talk of Hyderabad, Soz claimed Patel told the then Pak PM.
'It is time India withdraws the complaint from the UN and fully integrates the state of J&K into the Indian Union,' recommends Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the 'Shaurya Yatra' in Somnath, Gujarat, honouring those who defended the Somnath temple. He also offered prayers and paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
The debate on Sardar Patel's legacy is less about the Sardar and more about the acute sense of threat felt by the Delhi establishment at the rise of Narendra Modi and questions he has raised about the disproportionate share of credit given to a single family, says Colonel (retd) Anil Athale.
He blamed policies of the Congress-led governments for the Kashmir issue remaining unresolved.
If the Somnath temple, which was attacked 1,000 years ago and faced continuous attacks thereon, could rise again and again, then we can surely restore our great nation to the glory it embodied 1,000 years ago before the invasions, asserts Narendra Modi.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others were killed after their aircraft crashed in Baramati on January 28, 2026. Here are 11 other prominent Indians who died in air crashes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that forces opposing the reconstruction of the Somnath temple after independence are still active and that India needs to be vigilant and united to counter them. He highlighted the temple's history of resilience against repeated attacks and emphasized the importance of remembering the sacrifices made to protect it.
He also said that although India got independence much before Goa became free, people of the country could not enjoy at that time as they felt uneasy thinking that one part was the country was still under foreign rule.
President Droupadi Murmu addressed Parliament, urging unity on national issues like 'Viksit Bharat', swadeshi, and national security. She highlighted government initiatives and the nation's progress.
Farmers of Gujarat will drag Bharatiya Janata Party leaders out of their houses and thrash them mercilessly if police were to be removed for a day, Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal claimed on Friday.
Ram V Sutar, 89, has already created more than 200 distinct statues, many of them massive. Now, he is a leading contender for the commission to produce the world's largest statue: A 597-foot tall rendering of Sardar Patel, an independence leader who played a crucial role in uniting India's fractious states.
Five private schools in Delhi received bomb threats via email, leading to evacuations and searches. This marks the third consecutive day of such threats targeting educational institutions in the city.
The NHRC has issued notices to all states and Union territories following reports of children testing HIV positive after blood transfusions in Madhya Pradesh. The commission is seeking detailed reports on the matter within four weeks.
An IndiGo flight from Kuwait to Hyderabad was diverted to Mumbai following a bomb threat email. The flight landed safely, and security checks were conducted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated a discussion on 150 years of Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha, recalling the Emergency period when the national song completed 100 years.
'Maybe, if Mr Modi can fire over Patel's gigantic shoulder, people will start to think that he is very much like Patel?' 'It's a long shot, but the Modi sheen has worn awfully thin, and after five years and a long, much-frayed rope, he faces real accountability from voters.' 'He needs any help he can get,' says Mitali Saran.
In a measured but scathing attack, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of committing a 'big sin' by creating a controversy over Vande Mataram and claimed that the government pushed for a debate on the national song as the West Bengal assembly polls were approaching.
Six children with thalassemia in Madhya Pradesh, India, have tested positive for HIV, suspected to be transmitted through contaminated blood transfusions. An investigation has been ordered, and the opposition Congress party is demanding accountability.
Long queues, passengers in tears, and repeated flight cancellations created a morning of severe disruption at Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Saturday, as IndiGo continued to face nationwide operational delays.
Six months after the Air India AI-171 plane crash in Ahmedabad, the site remains a haunting reminder for local residents, marked by charred remains and lingering memories of the tragic event.
The family of a filmmaker killed in the Ahmedabad plane crash used the compensation they received to clear debt and buy a house, fulfilling his promise to them.
Invoking Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's work for national integration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said "unity, peace and harmony" was the first condition if India has to move forward and attain new heights of development.
Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium, Ahmedabad
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that singing 'Vande Mataram' will be made compulsory in every school and educational institution of the state.
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