Indian-Americans marks Sardar Patel's 63rd death anniversary

WASHINGTON: Many Indian-Americans paid their respect to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 63rd death anniversary and braved freezing winds here to participate in the "Run for Unity" to mark the occasion.

Comparing Sardar Patel with Abraham Lincoln, scientist Anju Preet from the event's organiser, "Hum Vatan, Bringing Indians Closer", said that both the leaders were instrumental in uniting their country.

"Sardar Patel brought together more than 500 different entities to create modern India, and this effort was long overdue," she said yesterday.

Underlining the need for people from different parts of India to unite in the effort to memorialise the contribution of Sardar Patel, Utsav Chakravarti commended Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for this ambitious project to build a gigantic iron statue of the leader.

"Sardar Patel's memorial will remind the nation of a billion its place in the world and what the ideals are that the future generations need to aspire for," Chakravarti said.