Sardar Patel National Unity Award to be bestowed for national integration

Sardar Patel National Unity Award, a new honour for outstanding efforts to further national integration on the pattern of Padma awards will be bestowed annually to an individual or any institution or organisation, the Union Home Ministry said on Friday.

"Any citizen of India without distinction of religion, race, caste, gender, place of birth, age or occupation and any institution/organisation shall be eligible for the Award," a notification issued by the Home Ministry said.

It said that any person without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex shall be eligible for the award.

The names of the person or organisation or institution, upon whom the decoration is conferred, shall be published in the Gazette of India and a register of all such recipients shall be maintained under the direction of the President, the notification said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the institution of the award for national unity at the annual conference of Director Generals of Police and Inspector Generals of Police held at Kevadiya in Narmada district of Gujarat, near the statue of Sardar Patel.

The Prime Minister had announced the award drawing inspiration from Sardar Patel's contribution towards the unification of the country.