Date of Birth: 31 October 1875
Place of Birth: NadiadBombay Presidency (present day Gujarat)
Parents: Zaverbhai Patel (father) and Ladbai (mother)
Spouse: Jhaverba
Children: Maniben PatelDahyabhai Patel
Education: N. K. High schoolPetlad; Inns of CourtLondonEngland
Association: Indian National Congress
Movement: Indian Independence Struggle
Political Ideology: ModerateRight-wing
Religious Beliefs: Hinduism
Publications: Ideas of a Nation: Vallabhai PatelThe Collected Works of Vallabhbhai Patel15 volumes
Passed Away: 15 December 1950
Memorial: SardarVallabhbhai Patel National MemorialAhmedabadGujarat
Vallabhbhai Patel was an Indian barristerstatesman and a prominent leader of the Indian Independence movement. Popularly known as Sardar Patel and The Ironman of Indiahe was the first Deputy Prime Minister and the first Home Minister of independent India.
After studying law in Englandhe practiced law in Ahmedabad. Initially not much interested in the independence movementa meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in 1917 changed his views. Leaving his law-practicePatel committed himself to the Independence struggle. He received the title of Sardar (leader/Chief) after successfully leading the agitation of the farmers of Bardoli (1928). His greatest contribution to the post-independence India was the integration of 565 princely statesand creation of All-India Services. In 1991India’s highest civilian awardBharat Ratna was conferred upon him posthumously.
Childhood & Early Life
Sardar Patel was born Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel in 1875at NadiadGujaratBritish Indiain a middle-class agricultural family of Lewa Patidar community. There is no official record of his date of birthbut October 31 is mentioned as his date of birth on his matriculation exam papers. He was the fourth of six children of Jhaverbhai Patel and his wifeLaadbai. His father had participated in the 1857 Mutinyin the army of Rani Laxmi of Jhansi.
Growing up in a traditional Hindu familyhis early childhood was spent on family’s agricultural fields at Karamsad. By late teenshe completed his middle school education at Karamsad. In 1891he was married to Jhaverba when he was 16. At 22he completed his matriculation from a high school in Nadiad/Petlad in 1897.
Patel aimed to work and collect necessary money to go to England to study law. After schoolinghe studied by borrowing law books and passed the District Pleader’s examination. In 1900he started his law practice at Godhra. He brought his wifeJhaverbafrom her parent’s placeand togetherthey set up a home. They had two children: a daughterManiben (B.1904)and a sonDahyabhai (b.1906).
With his hard work and dedicationPatel became a capable lawyer. During a plague epidemiche contracted the disease while nursing a friend. Leaving his familyhe went to Nadiad to recuperate.
In 1902Patel moved to Borsad (Kheda district) to practice lawwhere he successfully handled challenging court cases. With his law practicehe saved enough money to go to England to study law. The ticket bore the name ‘V.J. Patel,’ which were also the initials of his elder brotherVithalbhai Patel. After learning about his elder brother’s wish to study in EnglandVallabhbhai decided that his elder brother should go firstso as to maintain family’s reputation.
In 1909Patel’s wife took seriously illand was operated upon in a hospital in Bombay/Mumbai. Howevershe didn’t recover from it. When she diedPatel was cross-examining in a court in Anand. He received a note bearing the newsread itbut continued with his case without giving any indication till the end of the case. He did not marry again.
At 36Patel went to England (in 1910)to study law at the Middle Temple Inn. With his hard workhe not only completed the course months earlierbut also achieved the top place in Roman law.
Patel returned to India in February 1913and established a successful practice at Ahmedabad. As an eminent barrister in criminal lawhe led a westernized life. Known for his courteouswell-mannered behaviorwestern clothesand expertise in the game of bridgehe wasn’t interested in politics. Howevera meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in 1917 changed his views. Inspired by Gandhi’s ideologiesPatel became his follower. In 1917Patel was elected the sanitation commissioner of Ahmedabad.
Role in the Indian National Movement
Joining India’s independence movementPatel motivated the people of Borsad in September 1917 to join Gandhi’s demand for independence. Patel joined the Indian National Congress’ Gujarat Sabha as secretary and helped in Gandhi’s campaigns.
Kheda district faced a plague epidemic in 1917followed by a famine in 1918. Despite crop failuresthe British government refused to exempt the land revenue. Patel led the agitation of the farmers and Zamindars to get tax exemption. During the 3-month long campaignhe came very close to Gandhi. Visiting several villageshe motivated farmers to revolt against the government without any violence by not paying taxes. Several farmers and volunteers were arrestedlands were seized and people faced harassmentbut the resistance effort paid off and the government was forced to exempt the taxes.
In 1920Patel was elected President of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (the post he served till 1945). Leaving his successful legal practicehe joined Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920. He and his children burned their western clothing in bon-fires organized to burn and boycott British goods. He started wearing Indian attire made of Khadi (Indian handloom cotton). He traveled from place to place and recruited 3,00,000 members and collected a fund of Rs.1.5 million.
In 1923while Gandhi was in prisonPatel led the Satyagraha Movement in Nagpurwhen the British banned hoisting of Indian flag. He succeeded in obtaining the consent to hoist the flag publiclyand also got the prisoners released (arrested for hoisting the flag).
From 1924-1928Patel was chosen the President of the municipal committee of Ahmedabad. During these yearshe implemented several sanitationwater supplyadministration and town planning programs. He also worked towards several social reformsincluding prohibition of untouchabilitycasteismalcoholismetc.
In 1928the government raised the land revenue at a time when the farmers in Bardoli taluka of Surat district were already facing famine. Patel toured the villages to gauge the condition. Before launching a Satyagrahahe forewarned the villagers of the difficulties and asked them to maintain non-violence and unity.
As per Patel’s call for a non-cooperation movement on February 121928the farmers refused to pay the taxes demanded by the government. The government responded by arresting farmers and confiscating their landsbut the farmers didn’t give-in. Many Satyagrahas were undertaken all over Gujarat to express solidarity and sympathy with the Bardoli farmers. The agitation continued for 6 monthswhile Patel carried on his negotiations with the government. His efforts bore fruit in August and the administration returned the seized lands and the implementation of increased tax was postponed. The success of the Bardoli Satyagraha earned him the name Sardar or chief.
In 1930Gandhi gave the call for Dandi March and Salt Satyagraha to protest against the salt tax. As one of the leadersPatel was arrested before the Dandi March on March 71930. He was tried without any witnesses or lawyers. After Gandhi’s arrestthe agitation intensified demanding release of the two leaders. Patel was released in June and took on the responsibilities as the Congress president in absence of Gandhi. Howeverhe was arrested once again.
Image Credit: mymoneybazar.com
Patel was elected the President of the 46th session of the Indian National Congress at Karachiin March 1931. Congress approved the Gandhi-Irwin Pactthough Nehru and Bose didn’t totally agree with the terms of the pact. The same dayBhagat Singh and associates were executed in Lahore. The Karachi session of the Congress coped with a lot of turmoil. Thereafterthe Indian National Congress agreed to participate in the Round Table Conference in London. Howeverthe Conference didn’t succeed and subsequently GandhiPatel and several other leaders were arrested. Patel was with Gandhi in Yerwada Jail from January 1931 to May 1933. When Gandhi protested against allocation of separate electorates for untouchables by starting fast-unto-deathPatel looked after him. Laterhe was shifted to Nasik Jail for one yearand was released in 1934.
As per the Government of India Act 1935the Congress decided to participate in the elctions to provincial legislatures. Patel played an important role in raising funds and selecting candidates for these elections. The Indian National Congress won in 7 out of 11 provinces. As the chairman of the Congress Parliamentary Sub-committeehe guided the ministries.
At the start of WWIIthe Viceroy declared India as an ally of England. The Congress ministries resigned in protest and leaders courted arrests. Gandhi gave call for Individual Civil Disobedience. After being arrested in November 1940Patel was later released on August 291941due to ill-health.
On August 81942 the All India Congress Committee launched the Quit India Movement. Many prominent Congress leadersincluding Patelwere arrested on August 91942. Patel was arrested and confined at the Ahmednagar Fort for 3 years. All Congress leaders were released in 1945after the end of WWII.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel & the Partition of India
The British government called for negotiations with the Indian National Congress for the independence of India. The Muslim League leader Jinah’s separatist movement put a roadblock in front of the Congress leaders. InitiallyPatel was against the partition of India. Howeverhe realized that these communal conflicts could lead to a weak government at the centerso he agreed for creating a separate dominion (based on religious preferences). Gandhi and other Congress leaders were totally against partition. He discussed with Gandhi at private meetingsconvinced him that the Congress-Muslim League alliance government would not workand would lead to a civil war in the country.
At the time of independencethe partition of British India into India-Pakistan resulted in large-scale communal riots. Patel worked tirelessly to establish peaceand provide safety and essentials to the refugees. He went to border areas to organize relief and set up refugee camps. He also called in the army (South Indian regiments) to bring the situation under control.
Contribution to Post-Independence India
Patel was the first Deputy Prime Minister and the first Home Minister of Independent India. British had given two choices to the Indian Princely states – they could either join India or Pakistanor stay independent. This created a lot of uncertainty. As the home ministerPatel had a herculean task to convince the princely states to join India. With his tactful negotiationhe succeeded in integrating over 560 states to the Indian Union. There were a few states like JunagadhJammu & Kashmirand Hyderabadwhich did not acquiesce/comply. Without these states joining the Indian Unionthe country would’ve been disjointedso Patel used force to deal with them. Because of his effortstoday India stands as an integrated nation.
In September 1947when Pakistan tried to invade KashmirPatel asked the rulers of Kashmir to accede to Indiaafter which he ordered the army to drive away the invaders and re-claim the invaded territories.
Patel was the driving force behind creating the All India Serviceswhich he knew would be essential for providing a firm infrastructure to the new nation. He was also an important part of the Constituent Assembly of India. The Somnath Temple in Saurashtra was restored under his supervision.
Influence of Gandhi
Gandhi’s life and his principles had a huge effect on Patel’s life and ideologies. When Gandhi gave a call for the Non-cooperation MovementPatel left his flourishing practice and dedicated himself to the independence struggle. He also supported and followed Gandhi’s path of non-violenceand stood resolutely alongside Gandhieven when other leaders did not agree with some of Gandhi’s ideas. Gandhi’s Civil Disobedience movement faced oppositionbut Patel supported him. On Gandhi’s suggestionhe took back his candidacy for the election of the president of the Indian National Congress, in 1946.
Death & Legacy
Patel suffered a heart-attack after Gandhi’s assassination in 1948. His health began to deteriorate in the latter half of 1950. In Decemberhe was taken to Bombay. He had a second heart-attackand died on December 151950.
In 1980the Sardar Patel National Memorial was opened at Moti Shahi MahalAhmedabad. A major dam on River Narmada (Gujarat) was dedicated to him as Sardar Sarovar Dam. The international airport in Ahmedabad and several academic institutions are named after Patel.
He was posthumously awarded India’s highest civilian awardBharat Ratnain 1991.
In 2014it was announced that the nation would annually celebrate Patel’s birthdayOctober 31stas Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day.
Statue of Unity
World’s tallest statuethe 182-meter (597 feet) tall Statue of Unity, was dedicated to him on October 312018. It is approximately 3.2 km away from Sadhu Bet near VadodaraGujarat. The Statue of Unity and its related structures are spread over an area of about 20000 square meters. Built at an approximate cost of 29.8 billion rupees ($425m)the entire complex is surrounded by an artificial lake.
