- Around 200 cadets from 22 states, including Gujarat, begin intensive parade training in Ahmedabad
- NCC Directorate Gujarat leads 10-day integrated drill programme alongside CAPF contingents
- Young Indians prepare to honour Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on October 31 at Kevadia
- Special National Integration Camp celebrates India’s cultural diversity, friendship and the spirit of ‘Nation First’
NE DEFENCE BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, OCT 10
When young Indians from 22 states fall into step on the parade ground, they carry more than the rhythm of a military drill—they embody the promise of a nation united in its diversity. Around 200 National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets, including participants from Gujarat, have begun intensive parade preparations in Ahmedabad for Rashtriya Ekta Diwas on October 31, 2026, at Kevadia, under the shadow of the iconic Statue of Unity.
Organised under the aegis of NCC Directorate Gujarat, the preparations bring together cadets training alongside contingents of the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and other Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). The integrated programme is designed to sharpen parade discipline, coordination and ceremonial precision ahead of the national observance.
The cadets will undergo 10 days of integrated training in Ahmedabad before proceeding to Kevadia for the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations, commemorating the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Iron Man of India, whose vision and determination played a defining role in the political integration of the country after Independence.
A parade that celebrates the idea of India
Beyond the synchronised steps and disciplined formations, the gathering represents a meeting of India’s many cultures, languages, traditions and regional identities. Cadets from different states will share experiences, build friendships and deepen their mutual understanding through the Special National Integration Camp (SNIC).
The camp’s culmination is expected to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage while reinforcing the values of fraternity, national cohesion and respect for diversity. For the young participants, the experience offers an opportunity to discover how differences in language, food, dress and customs can coexist within a shared national identity.
Patel’s legacy, a new generation’s pledge
The celebrations at Kevadia will draw inspiration from Patel’s historic contribution to bringing hundreds of princely states into the Indian Union. The Statue of Unity, rising above the landscape near the Sardar Sarovar Dam, provides a powerful setting for remembering the statesman’s role in shaping India’s territorial and political unity.
As the cadets prepare for the national parade, their training becomes a symbolic tribute to that legacy—one in which discipline, collective responsibility and service to the nation take precedence over regional differences.
Through the SNIC and Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, the NCC reaffirms its commitment to nurturing responsible, disciplined and socially conscious young citizens under the guiding spirit of “Nation First”—a message that resonates beyond the parade ground and into everyday civic life.