A series of events were held across the country to mark the day and government officials, security personnel and others took a pledge 'to preserve the unity, integrity and security of the nation and also strive hard to spread this message'.
For children of Meghaninagar in Ahmedabad, spotting an aircraft swooshing by above their homes used to be a fun activity, but the deadly crash of an Air India flight in their locality has robbed them of this simple joy.
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.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram fell unconscious at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on Tuesday and was taken to hospital. Sources said he probably fainted due to the heat after a hectic day. His son Karti later said on X that his father is fine and is being examined by doctors. The incident occurred during a prayer meeting at the ashram. Chidambaram was carried to an ambulance by other leaders. Earlier in the day, he attended the extended Congress Working Committee meeting at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial.
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.
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 has strongly refuted Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's claim that Jawaharlal Nehru wanted to build the Babri Masjid using public funds, calling it a 'lie' and a 'WhatsApp university story'. Congress leaders have accused Singh of distorting history and distracting from real issues.
Four buildings -- Atulyam 1, 2, 3 and 4 -- which were damaged in the crash are being vacated, and occupants will be given alternative accommodations.
Vikrant Massey lost his family friend, Clive Kunder, in the tragic Air India plane crash on June 12.
Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday failed to show up at the Central Hall in Parliament to pay tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the occasion of the birth anniversary of India's first home minister. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Speaker Meira Kumar and innumerable Union ministers were present at the function. A senior BJP leader admitted that the absence of the party's Members of Parliament at the function was a lapse on their part.
Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar was seemingly persuaded to install a photograph of former deputy prime minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on October 31, his birth anniversary, at an event organised at the Bengaluru party office to mark the death anniversary of former prime minister Indira Gandhi.
Former Civil Aviation Minister and senior NCP leader Praful Patel on Wednesday questioned the "silence" of Singapore Airlines over the horrific crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad last week.
The pilot of the twin-engine wide bodied aircraft issued a 'Mayday' distress call, denoting a full emergency, soon after takeoff at 1.39 pm, the Air Traffic Control at Ahmedabad said.
In view of increased threat along maritime border with Pakistan, Navy will commission a new base near Porbandar in Gujarat to strengthen surveillance and security apparatus in the region.
Authorities have so far identified 31 victims of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad through DNA testing and 12 families have claimed the mortal remains till now, an official said on Sunday.
Take Kashmir but don't talk of Hyderabad, Soz claimed Patel told the then Pak PM.
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.
A government employee in Kerala has been suspended for making an offensive comment on Facebook about a Keralite nurse who died in the Ahmedabad plane crash.
Providing an update on the flight that crashed carrying 242 people including 12 crew members onboard, the senior Ahmedabad police officer stated that about 70 per cent to 80 per cent of the crash site had been cleared.
Some people were so great, Modi said, that attempts were made to make their contributions forgotten for 70 years but these met with no success.
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.
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.
Rupal Patel (45), who was visiting her maternal home from London in Uttarsanda village in Nadiad of Kheda district for medical treatment, was one of the 241 passengers onboard that were killed in the deadly Ahmedabad plane crash.
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.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the 'Run for Unity' in New Delhi on Friday on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, which is being commemorated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.
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.
Talking to reporters after a meeting of the state cabinet, he said Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and the entire cabinet offered tributes to those who had lost their lives in the June 12 plane crash in Ahmedabad during the meet.
'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 video shared by officials, Modi, wearing a BSF uniform, can be seen offering sweets to the personnel on board a patrol vessel.
'The black box is very much in India and it it currently being investigated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau'
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.
At least 265 bodies were sent to the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital for post-mortem after the crash on Thursday. Of these, only six victims were identified as their faces were intact, inspector Chirag Gosai said.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hit back at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying Sardar Patel belonged to the whole nation and not a particular party, and that he favoured Patel's secularism and not "vote-bank secularism" practiced by some parties.
The Ahmedabad Civil Hospital performed the last rites for body parts of 19 victims of the June 12 Air India plane crash. The body parts were discovered after the initial remains were handed over to families.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's sage advice remains as relevant today as it was during his lifetime, says Vivek Gumaste.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that singing 'Vande Mataram' will be made compulsory in every school and educational institution of the state.
Anil Khimani, the last victim of the horrific June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash identified through DNA tests, has been cremated in Gujarat's Kutch district, bringing closure to the family after two weeks of wait and distress that included submission of samples twice.
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.
Prasad hit out at the Opposition, alleging that it starts getting upset the moment it hears "Kumbh" or "Sanatan".
'That journey across India has changed me forever.'
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances