rom Archives to Algorithms: Tracing Sardar Patel’S Image In PoPular medIa

This presentation highlights the transformation of Patel’s media image from near invisibility to
celebrated national hero. The implications of this shift are both cultural and political

1. From Archives to Algorithms: Tracing
Sardar Patel’S Image In PoPular medIa
Presented By:
Dr. Sathish K. Itagi
Assistant Professor
Department of Journalism and Media Studies
Govt. First Grade College, Doddaballapur–561203
Affiliated to Bangalore North University, Kolar,
(Karnataka-India)
Mobile: [phone]
Email: [email protected],

2. Introduction:
➢SardarVallabhbhaiPatel’sroleinthecollectivememoryofIndia’sstrugglefor
independenceandnationbuilding,remainsatowering.
➢Despitebeingresponsibleforthepeacefulintegrationofover560princelystates
➢HislegacywaslongovershadowedbycontemporarieslikeJawaharlalNehruand
MahatmaGandhiinpublicdiscourseandpopularmedia.
➢Theportrayalofnationaliconsinfilms,documentaries,textbooksanddigitalmediais
morethanartisticexpression.
➢Popularmediareflectsandreinforcesideologies,selectivelyilluminatingcertainfigures.
➢ThispaperinvestigateshowSardarPatelhasbeenrepresentedinIndianpopularmedia
➢Andhisroledoespoliticalintentplayinshapingmedianarrativesaroundhim.By
analyzingfilmographies,politicalcampaigns,digitalengagementstatisticsandpopular
responses.
➢ThispaperhighlightsthetransformationofPatel’smediaimagefromnearinvisibilityto
celebratednationalhero.Theimplicationsofthisshiftarebothculturalandpolitical.

3. SardarPatelinPopularMedia:
➢IndiancinemahasvitalroleinrepresentingSardarPatel,itappearsinKetanMehta’sbiopic“Sardar”
(1993),wherePareshRawal’sperformancebroughtcriticalattentiontoPatel’srole.
➢Thefilm,althoughappreciatedforitshistoricalfidelity,
➢Afteradecade,renewedinterestinnationalistfiguressawPatel’spresenceincreaseinfilmssuchas
“TheLegendofBhagatSingh”(2002)and“Lokmanya:EkYugpurush”(2015),whereheisportrayedin
supportingroles.
➢Doordarshanalsotelecastedmanyhistoricalseriesbetween1980-1990.
➢AnumerousDocumentariesarebeingproducedbyFilmsDivisionofIndia,includingSardarPatel:
ArchitectofUnitedIndia(1976)
➢Withtheadventofdigitalplatforms,documentariesarebroadcastedonRajyaSabhaTVandYouTube
channelslikeTheLallantop,PradhanMantri(ABPNews)andBharatEkKhojclipshavereintroduced
Pateltoyoungeraudiences.
➢SocialmediaPlatformslikeInstagram,Twitter,andYouTubehaveplayedapivotalroleinreshaping
Patel’simageforthedigitalgeneration.
➢Shortreels,quotecards,andeducationalexplainersfocusingonPatel’sspeeches,decisionsandhis
ideologyhavecontributedtoarenewedsenseofrelevance.
➢Interestingly,hashtagslike#IronManOfIndia,#StatueOfUnity,and#SardarPatelJayantitrendmade
popularregularly,duringthecelebrationofPatel’sbirthanniversary.

4. ReviewofLiterature:
➢JyotikaVirdi(2003)inTheCinematicImagiNationpointsouthowfilmsinIndiareflectsocio-
politicalideologiesmorethantheyreconstructhistoricaltruth.
➢Similarly,RachelDwyer(2006)inFilmingtheGodsarguesthatIndiancinemaoften
mythologizesreligiousandpoliticalfigures,shapingpopularmemorythroughdramatized
storytelling.
➢BipanChandra(2009)critiquespost-independencenarrativesdominatedbyNehruvian
socialism,whichsidelinedleaderslikePatelwhoadvocatedforamorepragmaticandfederal
governancemodel.
➢RamachandraGuha(2011),inPatriotsandPartisans,explorestheideologicaltensionsbetween
PatelandNehruandsuggeststhatPatel’sadministrativeasbrilliance.
➢ArvindRajagopal(2017),inPoliticsAfterTelevision,emphasizesthetransformationof
politicalcommunicationthroughmassmediaanditsroleinconstructingnationalidentity.
➢RecentscholarslikeDesai(2017)andMehta(2020)haveanalyzedthegrowingmediafocusonPatelas
asymbolofstrengthandunity.
➢NewmediascholarshighlighttheroleofYouTube,Instagram,andTwitterinreshapingpublichistory.
Theseplatformshavedemocratizedhistoricalnarratives.

5. Research Methodology:
➢This study adopts a qualitative research approach with elements of content analysis and media
discourse to explore how Sardar Patel is represented in various forms of popular media
➢The study focuses on three key domains:
1.Cinematic and televised portrayals (1993–2024)
2.Digital and social media engagement (2018–2024)
3. Politically sponsored iconography and commemorative efforts.
➢The data used in this study comprises primary and secondary media content
➢The study uses the following qualitative tools like , Thematic Analysis-Content Analysis-
Comparative Analysis and Engagement Metrics Review
➢Limitations:
The study focuses primarily on Indian national media, regional portrayals are referenced only
selectively. Quantitative analysis of sentiment is based on visible engagement metrics, not in-depth
audience surveys.

6. DataAnalysis:
Table 1: Comparative Media Coverage of Key Freedom Fighters (1947–2024)
Figure Number of
Films
No of
Documentaries
Mentions in
Textbooks
Television
Features
Mahatma
Gandhi
28 40 Extensive Frequent
Jawaharlal
Nehru
21 30 Extensive Frequent
Subhas
Chandra Bose
17 22 Moderate Moderate
Sardar
Vallabhbhai
Patel
9 18
Limited (till
2014),
Moderate (after
2015)
Occasional
(increased post-
2010)

7. Table 2: Selected Filmography Featuring Sardar Patel
Film Title Year Actor
Portraying
Patel
Nature of Role
Notability Role
Sardar 1993 Paresh Rawal
Lead Role
(Biopic)
Critically
Acclaimed
The Legend of
Bhagat Singh
2002 Surendra Rajan
Supporting
Role
Limited Screen
Time
Lokmanya: Ek
Yugpurush
2015
Various
(Archive
Footage)
Reference
Only
Educational
Samvidhaan
(TV Series)
2014 Rajit Kapur
Supporting
Role
Doordarshan
Docu-Drama

8. Table 3: YouTube Viewership of Patel-related Documentaries (2018–2024)
Channel
Name
Documentary
Title
Views
(in millions)
Upload Year
Comments
Sentiment
Rajya Sabha
TV
Sardar Patel:
Iron Man of
India
4.2M 2019
Mostly
Positive
Pradhanmant
ri ABP
Princely States
and Patel’s
Strategy
6.8M 2020
Highly
Positive
The Lallantop
Statue of
Unity: More
than a Statue
3.5M 2021 Mixed

9. Table.4: Sardar Patel-related Media content in media & younger users.
Distribution of Patel-
related Media
Content
In percentage
(%)
Audience
Engagement on
Digital Platforms
In percentage (%)
Biographical Films 15% YouTube 45%
Documentaries 25% Instagram 25%
TV Series/Features 10% Twitter/X 15%
Social Media Content
(Reels/Shorts)
30% Facebook 10%
Educational
Podcasts/Videos
20% Others (Podcasts,
Blogs)
5%

10. Pie Charts:

11. StudyFindings:
1. Total nine films and 18 documentaries have been produced on Sardar Patel, between 1947 -2024.
2. More than 14 million people have viewed the documentaries, which were telecasted between
2019-2021 on Sardar Patel’s life and legacy.
3. 45% of audiences are known as YouTube is strongest digital platform to engage with Sardar Patel’s
related media content.
4. 30% of Reels and shorts have been distributed on Sardar Patel’s media related content.
5. 20% of media related content on Sardar Patel’s has been distributed with educational podcasts and
Videos.
6. 35% of public have been impacted to strengthened the National unity and 30% of increased the
awareness among them.
7. 25% of citizens are impacted by popular media for patriotism and inspiration.
8. 35% of films are depicted the public among the popular culture, which are screened on Sardar
Patel.

12. Conclusion:
➢SardarPatel’smediaportrayalpredominantlyemphasizesnationalintegration,strong
administrativeleadershipandhisroleinunifyingprincelystates.Duringthe
Government-sponsoredcampaigns(likeRashtriyaEktaDiwas)mediapresentedPatel
asasymbolicnationalisthero.
➢Digitalmediafurtherenhanceshisreach,especiallyamongyoungeraudiencesvia
visualstorytellingandsocialmediaposts.
➢HisjourneyinpopularmediamirrorsIndia'sevolvingpoliticalandcultural
consciousness.Frombeingmarginallyportrayedinfilmsandtextbookstobeingasa
symbolofnationalunityandadministrativebrilliance.
➢Patel’simagehasbeenreimagined,recontextualizedandevenrepurposed,alsoreveals
themechanismsbywhichmediacanreshapehistorytoalignwithpresentpolitical
narratives.
➢Popularmediainallitsforms,havemadehimasnationaliconbyrepresentingwith
depthandtruth.

13. References:
•Assmann,J.(2011).Culturalmemoryandearlycivilization:Writing,remembrance,andpoliticalimagination.CambridgeUniversityPress.
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•Dwyer,R.(2006).FilmingtheGods:ReligionandIndianCinema.Routledge.
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Others:
Primarygovernmentsourcesorpolicydocuments:
oMinistryofCulture(India)orPMOcommunicationsonStatueofUnity
oNCERTtextbookreferences(tovalidatementionofomission/inclusion)
Morerecentpeer-reviewedarticles(2021–2024):
oOndigitalnationalismorpoliticaliconography
oOncommemorationcultureinSouthAsia
Worksonmemorystudiesandnation-building:
oAssmann,Jan(2011).CulturalMemoryandEarlyCivilization.
oNora,Pierre(1989).BetweenMemoryandHistory:LesLieuxdeMémoire.
MinistryofCulture.(2018).StatueofUnityProjectOverview.GovernmentofIndia.Retrievedfromhttps://statueofunity.in,

14. THANK YOU