Vice President of India Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan participated as the Chief Guest at the 79th Hyderabad Liberation Day celebrations held at Parade Ground, Secunderabad, Telangana on September 17, 2026. The event commemorated the September 17, 1948 integration of the erstwhile Hyderabad State into the Indian Union following Operation Polo, which the Vice President described as a decisive chapter in the history of independent Bharat.
In his address, Radhakrishnan emphasized that Hyderabad Liberation Day represents not merely a historic date but a reminder of the journey of nation-building and the values that bind India together. He paid homage to countless patriots including Ramji Gond, Turrebaz Khan, and Komaram Bheem who displayed courage and made immense sacrifices in the liberation struggle. The Vice President noted that students, intellectuals, writers, social workers, political activists, farmers, and ordinary citizens participated in the movement and endured imprisonment, violence, and personal hardship.
Radhakrishnan highlighted Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's role as the first Home Minister and Minister for States in consolidating hundreds of princely states into one Union, stating that Patel laid the steely foundation for a strong, unified Ek Bharat. He also acknowledged the important role played by Central Armed Police Forces in the integration of princely states and safeguarding India's territorial integrity in 1947-48, as well as their ongoing contributions in combating Left-Wing Extremism in Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and other affected areas.
The ceremony included the Vice President laying a wreath at the War Memorial and paying tributes to fallen soldiers, inspecting the parade, and witnessing a March Past and cultural performances. He also visited an exhibition set up by the Central Bureau of Communication, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, which showcased the struggle, sacrifices, and historic journey toward Hyderabad's liberation and integration. Other dignitaries present included Telangana Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (Culture and Tourism), G. Kishan Reddy (Coal and Mines), Bandi Sanjay Kumar (MoS Home Affairs), and Malkajgiri MP Etela Rajender.
The Vice President stressed that national unity cannot be sustained by geography alone and must be strengthened through equal rights, dignity, and opportunity, noting that India's unity embraces diversity in languages, traditions, worship, and political opinions while being bound together by the Constitution and the principle of popular sovereignty.