The Statue of Unity (SOU) is the statue of the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. It is the world’s tallest statue at Kevadiya in  Narmada district, Gujarat state, India. It has a height of 182 meters (597 feet).  The total height of the structure including the height of the statue is 240 meters (790 feet). The base of the statue is 58 meters high (190 feet). It is erected on a river island facing the Sardar Sarovar dam alias Narmada Dam.

Sardar Patel statue (Photo courtesy | Twitter @PMOIndia)

Sardar Patel (31 October 1875 – 15 December 1950) was a freedom fighter and the  Deputy Prime Minister of India. He was also the First Minister of Home Affairs. He also served as the First Commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces. This post was abolished and merged with the position of President of India, on his death in 1950. He passed away on the 15th of December, 1950.

Sardar Patel was instrumental in persuading the 565 princely states of India to accede to India after they were released from British suzerainty in 1947. This earned him the sobriquet “Iron Man of India”. (While agreeing to accede to India, Royal family members were given Privy Purse‘, an annual payment from the consolidated funds of India. This was abolished in 1971.)

The statue of Unity or SOU is surrounded by a lake with an area of around 12 square kilometers. The monuments and allied infrastructure occupy an area of 20,000 square meters (220,000 sq. ft.).

Larson & Toubro (L & T), a leading Indian multinational company, bagged the contract for the design, construction, and maintenance of the statue, for a sum of  ₹2,989 crores (US$420 million).  Construction work was started on the 31st of October 2014.

The completed statue was dedicated to the Nation on the 31st of October 2018,  by Honorable Indian Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi. 31st of October 2018 was the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s Statue of Unity (World’s Tallest Statue) in Gujarat, India

There is an Observation deck at 135 meters in height.

Kevadia Glow Garden is a newly added popular area inside the Statue of Unity complex. Glow Garden is a unique theme park with vibrant lights and many installations,  optical illusions, and figures. there is also an LED fountain.

There is also a Cactus Garden, a botanical garden with 450 species of Cacti and succulents. It is spread over an area of 25 acres with a total of around six lack plants.

Nearby tourist attractions

River rafting facilities were introduced at Khalwani in 2019. It is near to Statue of Unity at Kevadia near the Statue of Unity and Sardar Sarovar Dam on river Narmada and also close to the Sardar Sarovar Dam, on river Narmada. 600 cusec of water is regularly released from the Sardar Sarovar Dam for river rafting. Camping and hiking are also allowed in this area.

Shoolpaneshwar Sanctuary is a nearby popular destination for wildlife enthusiasts.

How do I go to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s Statue of Unity (SOU)- World’s Tallest Statue?

The Statue of Unity (SOU) is at Kevadiya, on an island named Sadhu Bet. It is at a distance of around  3.2 kilometers (2 miles) from Narmada Dam.

Kevadiya railway station is the nearest railway station to the statue situated very close to the statue.

Rajpipla railway station is around 25 kilometers away. Vadodara (Baroda) railway station and international airport are around 90 kilometers from the statue of Patel. Ankleshwar railway station is around 93 kilometres distance from SOU. Surat Railway Station and the airport are 156 kilometers away.

Ahmedabad, the capital of the state of Gujarat, is around 197 kilometers from the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. There is an international airport and a major railway station at Ahmedabad.

SOU Tickets i.e. Online Ticket Booking to Visit Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s Statue of Unity

Online tickets to visit the tallest statue on earth can be booked at the website of Sardar Vallabh Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust. There are separate SOU Tickets for entry and observation deck.  If you buy any of these two tickets, then the bus ticket (to travel inside) is free.