Indian-Americans paid tribute to veteran leader and freedom fighter Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 63rd death anniversary as they braved freezing winds here to mark the occasion.

A “Run for Unity” was also organized recalling the legacy of India’s ‘Iron Man’.

Comparing Sardar Patel with Abraham Lincoln, scientist Anju Preet from the event’s organizer, “Hum Vatan, Bringing Indians Closer”, said that both the leaders were instrumental in uniting their country.

“Sardar Patel brought together more than 500 different entities to create modern India, and this effort was long overdue,” she said at the event yesterday.

Underlining the need for people from different parts of India to unite in the effort to memorialize the contribution of Sardar Patel, Utsav Chakravarti commended Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi for this ambitious project to build a gigantic iron statue of the leader.

“Sardar Patel’s memorial will remind the nation of a billion its place in the world and what the ideals are that the future generations need to aspire for,” Chakravarti said.