Sardar\@150 Unity March Mobilises Millions for Ek Bharat, Aatmanirbhar Bharat

Launched on 6 October 2025 by Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and Minister of State Smt. Raksha Khadse, the campaign blends both digital innovation and grassroots action.

In a spirited tribute to the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, through its flagship platform MY Bharat, has launched the Sardar@150 Unity March, a two-month-long, pan-India padyatra campaign that seeks to instill a sense of national pride, civic participation, and youth-led community mobilisation.

Anchored in the ideals of “Ek Bharat, Aatmanirbhar Bharat”, the initiative is part of the Government of India’s broader commemorative framework for 2024–2026 to honour the Iron Man of India—India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and the architect of national integration.

Launched on 6 October 2025 by Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and Minister of State Smt. Raksha Khadse, the campaign blends both digital innovation and grassroots action. It is mobilising millions of young citizens from across the country—from the Himalayan valleys to coastal hamlets, from metropolitan cities to tribal villages—in a synchronized march of unity and purpose.

Digital to Ground: A Phased Rollout of Engagement

The campaign began with digital participation, including creative competitions such as the Sardar@150 Young Leaders Quiz, essay writing, and a reel competition that captured the imagination of India’s youth. This online phase laid the foundation for wide engagement and was followed by an on-ground push involving district-level padyatras, held in alignment with India’s administrative and electoral landscape.

From 31 October 2025, coinciding with the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day), 842 padyatras have been conducted, covering 471 districts, 349 Lok Sabha constituencies, and 329 Assembly constituencies. The scale is unprecedented, with over 10 lakh participants and active involvement of 11,000+ institutions, including schools, universities, NGOs, and youth organizations like NSS, NCC, and NYKS.

In a press conference in New Delhi, Dr. Mandaviya reflected on the emotional and social significance of the campaign: “From Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Kutch to Kohima, lakhs have walked together to celebrate unity. This is more than a tribute—it’s a national movement to channel youth energy into the mission of Viksit Bharat.”

Geographic Spread and Mass Participation

The impact of the padyatras has been especially notable in traditionally underrepresented and remote regions:

• North East Zone: 96 padyatras, 70,000+ participants

• Jammu & Kashmir: 14 padyatras, 17,000+ participants

• Ladakh: 3 padyatras, 2,000+ participants

• Tamil Nadu and Kerala: 30 and 11 padyatras respectively

High mobilisation states include Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, with standout participation reported in Delhi (15,000), Junagadh (12,000), and Keonjhar (10,000).

In several states like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh, the campaign expanded beyond districts to include Assembly Constituency-level padyatras, reinforcing grassroots depth and local resonance.

Symbolism, Civic Education, and Entrepreneurship

Participants were administered the Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Nasha Mukt Bharat pledges along padyatra routes. Swadeshi stalls were set up to showcase local products, encourage micro-entrepreneurship, and reflect the indigenous economic vision of self-reliant India. Pre-event activities in institutions—ranging from mural-making to debates and plantation drives—built pre-campaign momentum.

The marches, entirely Swadeshi in spirit, echo the Gandhian legacy of Satyagraha, while drawing on Sardar Patel’s principles of national integration, self-governance, and cooperative federalism.

Yatra of District Representatives to Gujarat via Pravah Routes

A unique feature is the yatra of two district representatives from every district across four symbolic “Pravah Routes”—Ganga (Delhi), Yamuna (Jaipur), Narmada (Nagpur), and Godavari (Mumbai). These yatras, currently underway, serve as spiritual and symbolic streams converging toward Gujarat for the final leg: the National Padyatra.

This phase will include youth dialogues, community outreach, yoga sessions, cultural activities, plantation drives, and cleanliness missions, encapsulating the full spectrum of civic engagement and environmental responsibility.

National Padyatra: From Karamsad to the Statue of Unity

The culminating phase—the National Padyatra—will begin on 26 November 2025 from Karamsad, Sardar Patel’s ancestral village, and conclude on 6 December 2025 at the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Gujarat. Spanning 190 kilometres over 11 days, this journey will be led daily by Cabinet Ministers, Governors, MPs, and State Leaders, with influencers, achievers, and thought leaders participating along the route.

Each day will feature a Sardar Sabha—thematic discourses on Sardar Patel’s contributions. Ten sabhas will be organized on critical themes like:

• The Bardoli Satyagraha

• Cooperative Movements

• Administrative Leadership

• Constitutional Vision

• Integration of Princely States

• Women in Nation Building

• National Security and Governance

• Modern Infrastructure Vision

• Unity in Diversity

• Youth and Civic Leadership

Daily evening Gram Sabhas will enable community dialogues, cultural performances, and awareness campaigns in villages along the route, aligned with the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.

Immersive Experiences, Local Traditions and National Aspirations

The padyatris will walk 15–18 km daily, engaging in immersive learning through folk and classical performances, unity-themed art, traditional sports, and government scheme showcases. Alongside, NSS volunteers will conduct social welfare activities in nearby rural areas.

The 150 thematic stops on the route will host exhibitions, panel discussions, and storytelling sessions about Sardar Patel’s life, symbolizing not only his legacy but India’s resolve for unity and resilience in the 21st century.

An Invitation to the Youth of India

All youth are encouraged to register and participate through the MY Bharat portal. The campaign invites students, professionals, social activists, and young citizens to walk, engage, learn, and lead, as Sardar Patel once did in unifying a diverse, complex, and newly independent India.

This national padyatra is not only a walk across geographies—but across time and legacy—connecting India’s freedom movement to its development journey, and projecting India’s future as a self-reliant, united, and globally confident nation.