VIJAYAWADA: Vijayawada city police organised the Run for Unity at Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation (IGMC) Stadium here on Tuesday to mark Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day), observed on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Iron Man of India.
Scores of people, including a large number of school and college students, NCC cadets and women, participated in the event.
Health Minister Kamineni Srinivas, District Collector B Lakshmikantham and Police Commissioner Gautam Sawang flagged off the run from IGMC stadium to the Sub-Collector office. People wore Run for Unity T-shirts and caps provided by the police. On the occasion, Sawang recalled the valuable contributions of Sardar Vallabhai Patel for the national integration and hoped that participants would spread his message of unity far and wide.
“As a nation-builder, Patel was a key leader in the framing of the Constitution, consolidated the nascent state by integrating the Princely states and reorganising the bureaucracy,” he observed.
Kamineni Srinivas said Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had instilled the spirit of determination among patriots during the freedom movement. DGP N Sambasiva Rao released a commemorative postage stamp on the occasion of National Unity Day at DGP office in Mangalagiri.
Chief Postmaster General K Balasubramanian and Postmaster General Vijayawada Region B Radhika Chakravarthy presented the stamp to DGP Sambasiva Rao and said they have designed the stamp with the theme of Police Commemoration Day to respect police martyrs.