Unity is Strength – Rashtriya Ekta Diwas

“Imagine all the people, sharing all the world,” were the words John Lennon used to urge the world to embrace differences in race and religion, and to live together in harmony and peace. He lived and died in the hope that someday, everybody would share his ideas about unity and world peace. The world at that time had a long way to go, as it still does, to make a living like John Lennon wished for. However, India had already envisioned this goal about twenty years ago, when her constitution was framed. India, in all its endeavors tried to inch towards being that Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, and Democratic Republic that our forefathers wanted while upholding Fraternity amongst its citizens. To celebrate the unification of the country, the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi, declared 31st October, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhai Patel, as “Rashtriya Ekta Diwas” (Unity Day). Owing to this, Manipal Institute of Technology saw a zealous gathering of teachers and students on the day of celebrations at the IC stairs. To mark this occasion, the associate director of Student welfare, Dr. Veena Maben, addressed the crowd, inaugurating the Manipal Chapter of the Unity Day celebrations. This was followed by a speech from the former Student Council President, Virag Jasani who delivered a bilingual oath on Unity Day. The oath stated that the citizens of India would preserve the unity, integrity and the security of the nation. The audience treated this exercise with the seriousness it deserved; solemnly repeating after Mr.Jasani. The Joint Director then spoke to the assemblage about the ‘Iron man of India’, Vallabhai Patel. The gathering grew larger as the party moved towards the MIT cricket ground for the commencement of the ‘Run for Unity’. Participants of this event had to run to the lake and back and consisted of an amalgamation of the student and teaching bodies. One could feel their togetherness, as they crossed the finish line.