For 1st time, Sardar’s descendants to attend Ekta Diwas at Statue of Unity

Vadodara: For decades, they lived in quiet anonymity, far from the limelight that usually surrounds families of national leaders or freedom fighters.Even when PM Narendra Modi unveiled the world's tallest statue — the Statue of Unity (SoU) — dedicated to India's first deputy prime minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, in 2018, the Iron Man's real bloodline chose to stay away.But now, for the first time, Sardar Patel's only living grandson and his entire family will make a public appearance at the 150th birth anniversary celebrations, observed as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas on Oct 31. The family will join the National Unity Day parade at Kevadiya where the 182-m statue stands.Talking exclusively to TOI, the family confirmed that it was Modi who requested that they remain present at the celebrations — a request that brought the family from the US to Gujarat. "It was in Feb that we met the PM for the first time. He was pleasantly surprised to see us that he instantly extended a personal invitation to our entire family to be part of the celebrations," Gautambhai Dahyabhai Patel, Sardar's only living grandson, told TOI.Sardar's family comprised wife Zaverba, son Dahyabhai, and daughter Maniben. While Maniben remained unmarried until her death in 1993, Dahyabhai had two sons — Bipin and Gautam. Bipin, who had no children, died in 2004, leaving Gautambhai as the only living descendant.Gautambhai, 80, will attend the event along with his wife, Dr Nandita (79), their son Kedar (47) — Sardar's great-grandson; Reena (47), Kedar's wife; and Karina (13), Sardar's great-great-granddaughter.Another strong motivation for the family to visit Gujarat was to help the younger generation reconnect with their lineage. "I felt that my son and my granddaughter should know what their family stands for," said Dr Nandita.In 2018, when the SoU was inaugurated, the chief minister's office made several attempts to bring Sardar's only living grandson to the ceremony. The family, however, preferred to skip the event even after being extended gold passes granting VVIP access near the PM.The Patels had earlier attended only one public event — when then President R. Venkataraman conferred the Bharat Ratna posthumously on Sardar Patel at Rashtrapati Bhavan in July 1991. Late Bipin Patel received the honour on the family's behalf.Even during the inauguration of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Veer Vithalbhai Patel Memorial at Karamsad in 2000 by former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the family was not present. "We have always preferred to stay away from the limelight," said Gautambhai.Having completed his schooling at St Xavier's, Mumbai, Gautambhai earned a BE in telecommunications from Pune University and later completed his MS from Santa Clara University, USA. He worked briefly with NASA, pursued a part-time MBA, and later joined the telecom industry before returning to India in 1975 to teach at Watumull College, Mumbai. After his retirement in 2001, the couple divided their time between Vadodara and the US.