Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Sardar Vallabhai Patel (31 October 187 5 - 15 December 1950)

Sardar
was a lawy er and influential political leader in the Indian
independence mov ement. After independence, he was crucial in the
Vallabhai Patel
integration of ov er 500 princely states into the Indian Union. He
was deeply influenced by Gandhi’s ideology and principles, hav ing
worked v ery closely with the leader. Despite being the choice of the
people, on the request of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel stepped
down from the candidacy of Congress President, which ultimately
turned out to be the election to choose the first Prime Minister of
independent India. He was the first Home Minister of Independent
India and his uncompromising efforts towards consolidation of the
country earned him the title ‘Iron Man of India’.

Contents
Childhood & Early Life
Role in the Indian National Movement 1st Deputy Prime Minister of
Sardar Patel & the Partition of India India
Contributions to Post-independence India In office
Influence of Gandhi 15 August 1947 – 15 December
1950
Death
Monarch George VI
Honours after death
President Rajendra Prasad
Governor Louis
Childhood & Early Life General Mountbatten
C.
Vallabhai Patel was born on October 31, 187 5 in Nadiad v illage of
Rajagopalachari
modern day Gujarat to Zav erbhai and Ladbai. Vallabhai’s father had
serv ed in the army of the Queen of Jhansi while his mother was a Preceded by Position
v ery spiritual woman. established
Minister of Home Affairs
Starting his academic career in a Gujarati medium school, Sardar
In office
Vallabhbhai Patel later shifted to an English medium school. In
15 August 1947 – 15 December
1897 , Vallabhai passed his high school and started preparing for
1950
law examination. He went to pursue a degree in law and trav elled to
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
England in 1910. He completed his law degree in 1913 from Inns of
Court and came back to India to start his law practice in Godhra, Preceded by Position
Gujarat. For his legal proficiency , Vallabhai was offered many established
lucrativ e posts by the British Gov ernment but he rejected all. He Succeeded by C.
was a staunch opponent of the British gov ernment and its laws and Rajagopalachari
therefore decided not to work for the British. 1st Commander-in-chief of the
Indian Armed Forces
In 1891 he married Zav erbai and the couple had two children. One
In office
was a girl called Maniben Patel (1903-1990) and a boy , Dahy abhai
15 August 1947 – 15 December
Patel (1906-197 3). Serdar Patel’s Daughter was an activ ist while his
1950
Son was a member of the parliament of India.
Monarch George VI
Patel shifted his practice to Ahmedabad. He became a member of President Rajendra Prasad
the Gujarat Club where he attended a lecture by Mahatma Gandhi.
Governor Louis
Gandhi’s words deeply affected Vallabhbai and he soon adopted
General Mountbatten
Gandhi’s principles to become a staunch follower of the charismatic
C.
leader. That is how deeply Gandhi’s words had affected him. He
Rajagopalachari
didn’t know that he would change India and start a successful
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
career.
Preceded by Position
established
Role in the Indian National
Succeeded by Position
Movement abolished
In 1917 , Sardar Vallabhbhai was elected as the Secretary of the (merged to the
Gujarat Sabha, the Gujarat wing of the Indian National Congress. In President of
1918, he led a massiv e "No Tax Campaign" that urged the farmers India)
not to pay taxes after the British insisted on tax after the floods in Personal details
Kaira. The peaceful mov ement forced the British authorities to Born Vallabhai
return the land taken away from the farmers. His effort to bring Jhaverbhai Patel
together the farmers of his area brought him the title of 'Sardar'. He 31 October 1875
activ ely supported the non-cooperation Mov ement launched by Nadiad, Bombay
Gandhi. Patel toured the nation with him, recruited 300,000 Presidency,
members and helped collect ov er Rs. 1.5 million. British India

In 1928, the farmers of Bardoli again faced a problem of "tax-hike". Died 15 December
After prolonged summons, when the farmers refused to pay the 1950 (aged 75)
extra tax, the gov ernment seized their lands in retaliation. The Bombay, Bombay
agitation took on for more than six months. After sev eral rounds of State, India
negotiations by Patel, the lands were returned to farmers after a Cause of death Heart attack
deal was struck between the gov ernment and farmers’ Political party Indian National
representativ es. Congress
In 1930, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was among the leaders Spouse(s) Jhaverben Patel
imprisoned for participating in the famous Salt Saty agraha Children Maniben Patel
mov ement initiated by Mahatma Gandhi. His inspiring speeches Dahyabhai Patel
during the "Salt Mov ement" transformed the outlook of numerous
Mother Laad Bai
people s, who later play ed a major role in making the mov ement
Father Jhaverbhai Patel
successful. He led the Saty agraha mov ement across Gujarat when Alma mater Middle Temple
Gandhi was under imprisonment, upon request from the congress
Profession Barrister ·
members.
Politician · Activist
Sardar Patel was freed in 1931, following an agreement signed · Freedom
between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy of Fighter
India. The treaty was popularly known as the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. Awards Bharat
The same y ear, Patel was elected as the President of Indian National Ratna (1991)
Congress in its Karachi session where the party deliberated its (posthumously)
future path. Congress committed itself towards defence of
fundamental and human rights. It was in this session that the dream of a secular nation was conceiv ed.

During the legislativ e elections of 1934, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel campaigned for the Indian National
Congress. Though he did not contest, Sardar Patel helped his fellow party mates during the election.

In the 1942 Quit India Mov ement, Patel continued his unwav ering support to Gandhi when sev eral
contemporary leaders criticized the latter’s decision. He continued trav elling throughout the country
propagating the agenda of the mov ement in a series of heart-felt speeches. He was arrested again in 1942 and
was imprisoned in the Ahmednagar fort till 1945 along with other Congress leaders.

Sardar Patel’s journey often saw a number of confrontations with other important leaders of the congress. He
v oiced his annoy ance at Jawaharlal Nehru openly when the latter adopted socialism in 1936. Patel was also
wary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and considered him to be "keen on more power within the party ”.

Sardar Patel & the Partition of India

The separatist mov ement lead by Muslim League leader Mohammed Ali Jinnah led to a series of v iolent
Hindu-Muslim riots across the country just before the independence. In Sardar Patel’s opinion, the open
communal conflicts incited by the riots had the potential to establish a weak Gov ernment at the centre post-
independence which will be disastrous for consolidating a democratic nation. Patel went on to work on a
solution with V.P. Menon, a civ il serv ant during December 1946 and accepted his suggestion of creating a
separate dominion based on religious inclination of states. He represented India in the Partition Council.

Contributions to Post-independence India

After India achiev ed independence, Patel became the first Home Minister and also the Deputy Prime
Minister. Patel play ed a v ery crucial role in post-independence India by successfully integrating around 562
princely states under the Indian Dominion. The British Gov ernment had presented these rulers with two
alternativ es - they could join India or Pakistan; or they could stay independent. This clause magnified the
difficulty of process to mammoth proportions. Congress entrusted this intimidating task to Sardar Patel who
started lobby ing for integration on August 6, 1947 . He was successful in integrating all of them barring
Jammu and Kashmir, Junagarh and Hy derabad. He ev entually dealt with the situation with his sharp political
acumen and secured their accession. The India that we see today was a result of the efforts put in by Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel.
Patel was a leading member of the Constituent Assembly of India and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was appointed on
his recommendation. He was the key force in establishing the Indian Administrativ e Serv ice and the Indian
Police Serv ice. He took personal interest in initiating a restoration endeav our of the Somnath Temple in
Saurashtra, Gujarat. Patel dealt ruthlessly with the Pakistan’s efforts to inv ade Kashmir in September 1947 .
He ov ersaw immediate expansion of the army and marked improv ement of other infrastructural aspects. He
often disagreed with Nehru’s policies, especially about his dealings with Pakistan regarding the refugee
issues. He organised multiple refugee camps in Punjab and Delhi, and later in West Bengal.

Influence of Gandhi
Gandhi had profound effect on Patel’s politics and thoughts. He pledged unwav ering support to the Mahatma
and stood by his principles all through his life. While leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru, Chakrav arthi
Rajagopalachari and Maulana Azad criticized Mahatma Gandhi's idea that the civ il disobedience mov ement
would compel the British to leav e the nation, Patel extended his support to Gandhi. Despite the unwillingness
of the Congress High Command, Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel strongly forced the All India
Congress Committee to ratify the civ il disobedience mov ement and launch it without delay ing further. Upon
Gandhi’s request he gav e up his candidacy for the post of the Prime Minister of India. He suffered a major
heart attack after Gandhi’s death. Although he recov ered, he attributed it to hav ing lamented silently for the
loss of his mentor.

Death
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's health started declining in 1950. He realized that he was not going to liv e much
longer. On 2nd Nov ember 1950, his health deteriorated further and he was confined to bed. He died on 15
December 1950 after suffering a massiv e heart attack.

Honours after death

1991 - He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour.
2014 - His birthday, October 31, was declared Rashtriya Ekta Divas.
2018 - The Statue of Unity dedicated to Patel is unveiled as the world's tallest statue.

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