Mon | May 4, 2026

Indian community in Jamaica hosts Unity Walk

Events to mark 147th birth anniversary of country’s first deputy prime minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Published:Wednesday | November 2, 2022 | 12:05 AMJudana Murphy/ - Gleaner Writer
Pause
Head of the Mathematics Department at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, Nagarani Ponakala, and Zingcharwon Runsung, wife of the Indian High Commissioner to Jamaica, prepare Puri, which is a fried Indian bread, for breakfast following the Unity
udana Murphy
Head of the Mathematics Department at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, Nagarani Ponakala, and Zingcharwon Runsung, wife of the Indian High Commissioner to Jamaica, prepare Puri, which is a fried Indian bread, for breakfast following the Unity Walk. Aloo, Halwa and a variety of tea completed the breakfast.
Indian Commissioner to Jamaica, His Excellency Masakui Rungsung (white T-shirt) plays a game of badminton with members of the Indian community.
Contributed
Indian Commissioner to Jamaica, His Excellency Masakui Rungsung (white T-shirt) plays a game of badminton with members of the Indian community.
Members of the Indian community make their way along Liguanea Avenue during Sunday’s Unity Walk.
Contributed
Members of the Indian community make their way along Liguanea Avenue during Sunday’s Unity Walk.
1
2
3

Approximately 70 members of the Indian community in Jamaica joined thousands around the world in a Unity Walk on Sunday, commemorating the 147th birth anniversary of the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Patel, who was independent India’s first deputy prime minister, was born on October 31, 1875, and died on December 15, 1950.

He was one of the leaders of the India National Congress during the struggle for India’s independence.

India gained independence in August 1947 and the government of India introduced Unity Day in 2014.

The 4.5km walk began at India House located at 2 East Kings House Road, then left on to Hope Road, left at Liguanea Avenue on to Paddington Terrace and back to India House.

Following the walk, participants enjoyed a traditional Indian breakfast and commenced a badminton tournament on the court at India House, which will continue over the next few weeks.

Indian high commissioner to Jamaica, Masakui Rungsung, told The Gleaner that Patel was responsible for uniting over 500 princely states of the country to build the Republic of India.

“In India today we have 29 states. As a tribute to his contribution to unifying India as a nation, we have erected a statue in his honour. We have created a lot of facilities around the statue and it is becoming a very hot tourist destination for domestic travellers and of course international travellers,” he said.

The world’s tallest statue, Statue of Unity, enjoys a picturesque location facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam and the Satpura and Vindhyachal hills in Gujarat, India.

At a height of 182 metres, it is visible from space and is almost twice the height of the United States’ Statue of Liberty, which is the fourth tallest in the world.

Rungsung shared that despite the diversity in India – ethnicity and language – as a nation they have proven that they can stand together wherever they are around the world.

The high commissioner said he expected a greater turnout but thanked the members of the Indian community who showed up at 6:30 a.m. for the walk.

He encouraged others to join next Sunday and in the coming weeks as spectators or participants in the badminton tournament.

judana.murphy@gleanerjm.com