National Unity Day / Odisha's 'Silver Gandhi' completes 12-year Padayatra, leads Swachh Bharat march at Statue of Unity

Bhubaneswar, Oct 31: Twelve years after embarking on a unique mission to promote cleanliness, social harmony and national development, Odisha's Mohan Mahapatra, popularly known as 'Silver Gandhi', has emerged as a national symbol of grassroots public awareness campaigns.

The world record-holder from Puri is set to lead the Grand Swachh Bharat Padayatra at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, during the celebrations of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) 2026, marking the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The event, scheduled for October 31, will be held in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the Silver Gandhi Team spearheading the cleanliness-focused march.

World Record Recognition

Mahapatra, a native of Lord Jagannath Dham, Puri, has earned a place in both the India Book of Records and the Asia Book of Records for undertaking the Longest Padayatra as Mahatma Gandhi for the Swachh Bharat Mission.

The record-setting journey began at the Jagannath Temple in Puri on June 26, 2016, and concluded at Porbandar, Gujarat, on October 2, 2016. The initiative was aimed at spreading awareness about cleanliness and citizen participation under the Swachh Bharat campaign.

Recognisable for his portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi with a silver-painted body, Mahapatra has continued his outreach efforts across the country, carrying messages of cleanliness, peace and nation-building.

Educational Background

Mahapatra is a graduate of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Bhubaneswar, and the National School of Drama, New Delhi. His artistic training has played a key role in shaping his distinctive public campaigns.

National Honours

Over the years, he has been felicitated by the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan and has received encouragement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has also been acknowledged by senior PMO officials, including Dr. P.K. Mishra and Shaktikanta Das.
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Most recently, he was honoured by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during the Viksit Bharat @2047 Exhibition in Bhubaneswar.

Having travelled across more than seven States, Mahapatra's inspiring journey has also been chronicled in a Hindi feature film titled "Silver Gandhi." His mission continues to centre on the vision of "Clean India, Peace India and Viksit Bharat 2047."