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Prime Minister Inaugurates Digital Exhibition-‘Uniting India: Sardar Patel’ & Launches ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ Scheme
The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated a Digital Exhibition – “Uniting India : Sardar Patel” organized by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, former Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India in National Science Centre, New Delhi today. He also launched a Web Portal on Sardar Patel and a Souvenir on “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’’ scheme. Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed between some States and Union Territories were also exchanged on the occasion. The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh and the Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Tourism Dr. Mahesh Sharma were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister paid tribute to Sardar Patel, for his great contributions to the nation, and said such great individuals can never be forgotten. He spoke at length about Sardar Patel’s role in integrating the nation, by convincing princely states to join the Union. The Prime Minister gave several illustrations to explain how the “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” initiative can build bonds between the people of various States of India.
Shri Rajnath Singh in his address said that Sardar Patel was the architect of modern political India. He united 565 princely State to be part of India. He hailed Sardar Patel as the Chanakya who fulfilled the dream of Chanakya by uniting India. To maintain unity and integrity of our country will be our true tribute to Sardar Patel.
In his address Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that it is because of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel that we can be proud of being the citizens of such a diverse and culture-rich country. Sardar Patel not only integrated and united nation but also secured solidarity of the nation.
Ministry of Culture planned to pay tribute to the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for his extraordinary efforts for uniting India and making the India as vibrant integrated democracy and organized this Digital Exhibition on persona of Sardar Patel and his role in integration of India. The rationale of the exhibition is to propagate Sardar Patel’s valuable contribution in integrating India while ensuring the spirit of unity in diversity.
Using frank diplomacy backed with the option and the use of able military action, Sardar Patel’s leadership enabled the accession of almost every princely state. This digital exhibition is an great attempt of Ministry of Culture to showcase the entire story and role of Sardar Patel to various stakeholders such as Children, Young Students, Teachers and millions of other Indians.
Ministry of Culture’s Digital Exhibition has a total of 29 exhibits where a small film on the life of Sardar Patel has been prepared for wider awareness about his unmatched personality. The Exhibition has showcased that a total 565 princely states, some of which were ruled by Maharajas and others by Nawabs, started believing they would become independent rulers of their kingdoms as in the pre-British era. The exhibition has also showcased the vision of free India which was Sardar Patel’s insight, wisdom and diplomacy that drove sense into the minds of the monarchs who agreed accession to the Indian Republic.
The 3D film in the exhibition depicts that how Sardar Patel handled effectively the integration of the princely states with his diplomatic skills. The exhibits narrates the problem of amalgamating 565 independent states with a democratic self-governing India was difficult and delicate. The exhibits show us the efforts of Sardar Patel that through calculated methods, the absorption of a multitude of princely states into the Indian Union. Without a civil war, he secured the solidarity of the nation.
This Exhibition realizes that once in a generation, there comes an intellectual leader and visionary, who aims for the skies, feet firmly on ground, mind made of diamond and fist made of iron, with sheer dedication and focus which might put Eagles also to shame. One such visionary was Sardar Patel. India has forgotten this gem because the young generation of India only knows him as a freedom fighter and an associate of some veteran freedom fighters. There are many reasons why Patel has become a silent icon. One of the main reasons is that he was a man of action for whom work was primary. To give a simple analogy, we get mesmerized while watching the digital exhibition, If India is such a well built, complex building, then one can safely assume that Sardar Patel is the chief engineer.
The film at the last exhibit showcases the strength of India along with its cultural, social ethos. India is a land of diverse communities. The film tries to realizes the spirit of a national integration. Sardar Patel is a name which cannot be ignored and clearly stands out high amidst the rest. Even after independence, he had taken a calculative decision of introducing the All India Services which would ensure that India always stays as an independent and united nation. Indians need to be proud of leaders like Sarder Vallabhbhai Patel. Such leaders are wanted even today who can lead with a vision which can actually be converted into reality. It is indeed a praiseworthy step by the Government of India that it has urged the citizens to commemorate and celebrate Sarder Patel’s birthday as “Rashtriya Ekta Diwas” (National Unity Day), for Sarder Vallabhbhai Patel was a man who not only integrated and united the nation, but also secured solidarity of the nation without major a civil conflict.
This film showcases the achievements of India in various areas like Social Development, Communication, Road Connectivity, Space Technology, Agriculture etc. This film motivates us to fulfill the vision of the Prime Minister by taking positive steps to make Shreshtha Bharat.
