<p class="title">President Ram Nath Kovind, Union Home Minister Amit Shah among others on Thursday paid tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 144th birth anniversary in the national capital here.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kovind, Shah, Union cabinet minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal accompanied by senior Home Ministry officials, paid floral tributes at Patel's statue located at the Patel Chowk here.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Modi government has been observing Patel's birth anniversary as 'Ekta Diwas' or National Unity Day since 2014.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Patel was born on October 31, 1875 at Nadiad in Gujarat.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India's first Home Minister, Patel is credited for merger of over 560 states into the Union of India.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As part of celebrations, various programmes are being organised across the country, recalling Sardar Patel's contribution to unification of India.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attending a special function being organised in Kevadia in Gujarat, where a giant statue of Patel is located.</p>
<p class="title">President Ram Nath Kovind, Union Home Minister Amit Shah among others on Thursday paid tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 144th birth anniversary in the national capital here.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kovind, Shah, Union cabinet minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal accompanied by senior Home Ministry officials, paid floral tributes at Patel's statue located at the Patel Chowk here.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Modi government has been observing Patel's birth anniversary as 'Ekta Diwas' or National Unity Day since 2014.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Patel was born on October 31, 1875 at Nadiad in Gujarat.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India's first Home Minister, Patel is credited for merger of over 560 states into the Union of India.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As part of celebrations, various programmes are being organised across the country, recalling Sardar Patel's contribution to unification of India.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attending a special function being organised in Kevadia in Gujarat, where a giant statue of Patel is located.</p>