From statue in Delhi to museum in Kerala, Patel's legacy etched in streets, buildings across India

New Delhi: From an iconic bronze statue unveiled by then president S Radhakrishnan at a street square near Parliament building in Delhi in 1963 to a police museum in Kerala showcasing the history of Indian law enforcement, the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel lives on in the names of streets, public buildings and institutions across the country.

Today marks the 150th birth anniversary of Patel, a freedom fighter who also served as the country's first deputy prime minister and the home minister.

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, also known as National Unity Day, is observed annually on October 31 to commemorate his birth in 1875 at Karamsad in today's Gujarat.

The nationalist leader, fondly known as the 'Iron Man of India', died on December 15, 1950, and soon after his demise, a number of public places, parks and streets in various cities were named or rechristened in his honour.

In Delhi, a handsome statue was erected at a public roundabout that sits at the intersection of Parliament Street and Ashoka Road, and it now carries the name 'Patel Chowk'. A nearby Delhi Metro station is also named after it.

According to an article published in the October 1963 edition of 'Civic Affairs' magazine, the then president Radhakrishnan unveiled it on September 18, 1963, at a street crossing which has been "named Sardar Square".

"The inscription on the statue 'Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel architect of India's Unity' has been chosen by Prime Minister Nehru. Weighing three tons, the 13 ft-high bronze statue rests on a 18 ft-high pedestal," it says.

An archival image of the unveiling ceremony showing Radhakrishnan addressing, while Nehru sitting near him, is available on the internet.

For the 150th birth anniversary, the statue has been given a facelift, lamp posts have been lent a fresh paint job, and the flower beds spruced up, a civic official told PTI.

An old government building facing Patel Chowk is named Sardar Patel Bhawan.

In Delhi, Patel's legacy has also been honoured with a prominent street that runs from Mother Teresa Crescent to the Dhaula Kuan area, carrying his name Sardar Patel Marg.

Known as Kitchener Road during British rule, it was renamed after Independence.

Patel Chest Institute, a Delhi university-maintained institution and Sardar Patel Vidyalaya at Lodhi Estate, which was set up by Gujarat Education Society in 1958, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Smarak Trust Library located in a British-era building, exuding old-world charm, at Jantar Mantar Road, are other reminders here of Patel's illustrious legacy.

On Friday, a National Unity Day parade was held at Kevadia's Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, where the 182-metre tall Statue of Unity stands, to mark the sesquicentennial of the leader.

The world's tallest statue was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31, 2018, to spread the message of unity and patriotism.

"Patel played a crucial role in the national integration process following independence in 1947. He was tasked with unifying over 560 princely states covering nearly 40 per cent of India's territory and population into the Union of India," according to his profile shared by the government on October 30.

Today, a humble memorial dedicated to him and his brother Vithalbhai Patel stands in Patel's birthplace, while the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial is a tourist attraction in Ahmedabad, whose airport also carries his name.

In south India, the legacy of the 'Iron Man' is celebrated through Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Police Museum in Kerala, housed in a heritage building.

"Nestled in Kollam, the Police Museum stands as a unique tribute to the evolution and heritage of law enforcement in India. Distinguished as the only museum of its kind in the country, this fascinating establishment offers visitors a comprehensive glimpse into the history and development of the police force," according to its website.

While Patel has also been celebrated in books and movies, it is the streets where his statues stand out, owing to his sturdy physical features.

In Patna, the Bihar Police headquarters, inaugurated in 2018, is named Sardar Patel Bhawan, while a prominent street in the government bungalow zone in the Bihar capital, which was originally named Mangles Road by the British, was renamed as Sardar Patel Marg after Independence.

A statue of Patel was unveiled by the then Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in 1992 at a street roundabout near the Patna airport in his honour.

A plaque embedded on its pedestal with an inscription in Hindi, extols him as a man of few words, lover of discipline and hard working, whose tough built had a combination of "Bismarck-like organisational skills, Kautilya-like political acumen and Abraham Lincoln-like unwavering commitment to national unity".