Vice-President Attends 79th Hyderabad Liberation Day at Secunderabad

Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan was the chief guest at the 79th Hyderabad Liberation Day celebrations on 17 September 2026. The venue was Parade Ground, Secunderabad, in Telangana. He inspected the parade and watched the March Past and cultural performances.

The date and the event

The Vice-President said 17 September 1948 closed a decisive chapter in the history of independent India. The erstwhile Hyderabad State merged into the Indian Union. This followed the events of September 1948 and Operation Polo. He said the day is not only a historic date but a reminder of the journey of nation-building.

Tribute to Sardar Patel

The Vice-President recalled the role of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Patel was the first Home Minister and Minister for States. He carried this responsibility while the country was recovering from Partition. At the same time hundreds of princely states were being brought into one Union. The Vice-President said Patel laid the steely foundation of a strong and unified Ek Bharat.

The people behind the struggle

He said students, intellectuals, writers, social workers, political activists, farmers and ordinary citizens took part. They faced imprisonment, violence and personal hardship. He paid homage to Ramji Gond, Turrebaz Khan and Komaram Bheem among many others. He said history is made not only by famous statesmen but also by citizens who refuse injustice.

The message

The Vice-President said political integration brings territories together while constitutional democracy brings citizens together. He said unity cannot rest on geography alone and must be strengthened through equal rights, equal dignity and equal opportunity. He noted that Indians may speak different languages and follow different traditions yet remain bound by the Constitution. He said integration must lead to inclusion.

At a glance

He also credited the Central Armed Police Forces for their part in integrating princely states and safeguarding territorial integrity in 1947 and 1948. He acknowledged their work against Left-Wing Extremism in Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and other affected areas. He laid a wreath at the War Memorial. He placed Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Sardar Patel and the present pursuit of Viksit Bharat 2047 in one line of nation-building.