Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday praised Gujarat's Patidar community for its remarkable social and economic advancement, stating that its progress over the past 75 years remained unparalleled anywhere in India.
He urged scholars and young researchers to comprehensively document the community's transformation and contribution to Gujarat's rise after Independence.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of new hostel facilities at Mata Umiya Dham in Ahmedabad, Shah said the development of Gujarat and the rise of the Patidar community had advanced simultaneously through decades of hard work and enterprise.
"I can confidently say that no other community in India has achieved such extraordinary progress in the last 75 years," Shah stated during the event.
He attributed the community's success to qualities such as dedication, discipline, sacrifice, honesty, patriotism, and perseverance.
Shah further noted that the Patidar community had established a dominant presence across several sectors, including agriculture, education, textiles, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, diamonds, and real estate.
The Union Minister also highlighted the global presence of Patidar families, stating that their simplicity and inclusive mindset helped them succeed rapidly in India and abroad.
Recalling a recent visit to Gangasagar, Shah mentioned meeting timber traders from Gujarat's Kadva Patidar community who had successfully built businesses there.
He additionally referred to the strong representation of Gujaratis from the Patidar community in the hospitality industry across the United States, especially in motel ownership.
The programme also marked the inauguration of the J S Patel Hostel and Tapasvi Kumar Arvindbhai Patel Girls' Hostel at Mata Umiya Dham.
Organisers stated that the 13-storey hostel complexes were built at a combined cost exceeding Rs 170 crore and would accommodate nearly 1,600 students studying in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.