New Delhi: National Unity Day is being celebrated on Friday to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and to honour his role in fostering national and political integration and unity in India.
While the Statue of Unity stands as India’s message to the world – that “our unity remains our greatest strength”, the herculean task undertaken to create this engineering marvel has also made the world realise India’s potential.
While crores of citizens at home and abroad join the Unity Day festivities, it is pertinent to mention that the world’s tallest statue was built not by machines alone, but by the collective spirit and resolve of millions of Indians.
Modi Archive, a popular social media handle on X, shared a detailed insight into the making of the engineering marvel.
“Conceived by Prime Minister, it is a living tribute to the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the architect of our nation’s unity and integrity,” it said in an X post, chronicling the momentous journey and also how this vision turned into reality.
The inspiring tale of the Statue of Unity drew appreciation from many quarters while leaving others “enlightened” about how the momentous project took shape and came to light.
As Sardar Patel was instrumental in unifying the nation after Independence, PM Modi had emphasised that the entire nation should unite in building the iconic Statue of Unity.
The BJP’s X handle, sharing the video, informed, “Farm tools and soil samples were collected from 169,078 locations across the country, symbolising the tribute from farmers to Sardar Patel. The collected iron was melted down and transformed into reinforced bars used in the project, while the soil samples were incorporated into the construction of the Wall of Unity.”
The inauguration of the Statue of Unity on October 31, 2018, was an emotionally fulfilling moment, even for the Prime Minister.
PM Modi had praised the achievement, saying, “The world’s tallest statue would remind the entire world, the future generations about the courage, capabilities and resolution of the person who did this holy work of thwarting the conspiracy to disintegrate Mother India into pieces.”
(IANS)
