PERSONALITY BHARAT RATNA SARDAR VALLABHBHAI PATEL-IRON MAN OF INDIA On the Occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 151st Birth Anniversary which falls on 31st October 2026 First Home Minister of India
PERSONALITY
BHARAT RATNA SARDAR VALLABHBHAI PATEL-IRON MAN OF INDIA
On the Occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 151st Birth Anniversary which falls on 31st October 2026
First Home Minister of India
By:- Ravi Rohmetra
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born to a Gujarati Family from the Leva Patel community.Patel was a native of Karamsad.They lived in the village of Karamsad,Bombay Presidency,where Jhaverbhai owned a homestead.Somabhai,Narsibhai and Vithalbhai Patel ( also a future political Leader) where his elder brothers.He had a younger brother,Kashibhai and a sister Dahiba.As a young boy,Patel helped his father in the fields and twice a month kept a day long fast abstaining from food and water,a Hindu cultural observance that helped him to develop physical toughness.His father was a devotee of Swami Narayan sampraday and would often take Patel to the Swami Narayan temple in Vadtal about 20 Km from Karamsad on foot.When he was eighteen years old,Patel’s marriage was arranged with Jhaverba, a young girl of twelve or thirteen years from a nearby village.According to custom,the young bribe would continue to live with her parents until her husband started earning and could establish their household.Patel traveled to attend schools in Nadiad,Petlad and Barsad,living self sufficiently with other boys.Patel passed his matriculation at late age of 22 at this point,he was generally regarded by his elders as an unambitious a man distined for a comman place job.Patel himself harboured a plan he would study to become a lawyer , work and save funds travel to England and study to become a barrister. His wife bore him a daughter Manibehn in 1904 and a son Dahyabhai in 1906.
Fighting for Independence : At the urging of his friends , Patel won an election the sanitation commissioner of Ahmedabad in 1917. While often clashing with British officials on civic issues. He did not show any interest in politics upon hearing of Mohandas Gandhi he joked to mavlankar that Gandhi would “ ask you if you know how to sift pebbles from wheat and that is supposed to bring independence.” But Patel was deeply impressed when Gandhi defied the British in Champaran for the sake of the area’s oppressed farmers . Against the grain of Indian Politicians of the time . Gandhi wore Indian style clothes and emphasised the use of one’s mother tongue or any Indian Language as opposed to English the lingua franca of India’s intellectuals Patel was particularly attracted to Gandhi’s inclination to action –apart from a resolution condemning the arrest of Politcal leader Annie Besant , Gandhi Proposed that Volunteers march peacefully demanding to meet her. Patel gave a speech in Borsad in Sept 1917, encouraging Indians nationwide to sign Gandhi’s petition demanding Swaraj Independence from the British meeting Gandhi a month later at the Gujarat Political conference in Godhra. Patel became the secretary of the sabha a public body which would become the Gujarati arm of the Indian National Congress, at Gandhi’s encouragement . Patel now energetically fought against veth the forced servitude of Indians to Europeans and organised relief efforts in wake of plague and famine in Kheda. The Kheda peasant’s plea for exemption from taxation had been turned down by British authorities Gandhi endorsed waging a struggle there but could not lead it himself due to his activities in champaran. When Gandhi asked for a Gujarati activist to devote himself completely to the assignment . Patel volunteered much to Gandhi’s personal delight . Though his decision was made on the spot , Patel later said that his desire and commitment came after intensive personal contemplation as he realised he would have to abandon his career and material ambitions.
Satayagraha in Gujarat
Supported by cogress volunteers Narhari Parikh , Mohan lal Pandya and Abbas Tyabji , vallabhbhai Patel began a village to village tour in the kheda district documenting grievances and asking villagers for their support for a statewide revolt by refusing the payment of taxes . Patel organised a network of volunteers to work with individual villages helping them hide valuables and protect themselves during raids. Thousands of activists and farmers were arrested but Patel was not. The revolt began evoking sympathy and admiration across India , including with Pro-British Indian Politicians. The Government agreed to negotiate with Patel and decided to suspend the payment of revenue for the year, even scaling back the rate. Patel emerged as a hero to Gujaratis and admired across India . In 1920 he was elected President of the newly formed Gujarat Pradesh congress committee , he would serve as its President till 1945. Patel supported Gandhi’s Non Cooperation movement and toured the state to recruit more than 300,000 members and raise over Rs 15 lakh in funds . Helping organise bonfires of British goods in Ahmedabad . Patel threw in all his English style clothes with his daughter Mani and son Dahya , he switched completely to wearing Khadi. He worked extensively in the following years in Gujarat against alcoholism untouchablity and caste discrimination as well as for the empowerment of women. Patel was elected Ahmedabad’s Muncipal President in 1922,1924 &1927 during his terms Ahmedabad was extended a major supply of electricity and the school system underwent major reforms.
Integration after Independence and role of Gandhi
In the 1946 election of the congress Presidency Patel stepped down in favour of Nehru at the request of Gandhi . The election importance stemmed from the fact that the elected President would lead free India’s first Government Gandhi asked all 16 states representative and congress to elect the right person and Sardar Patel’s name was proposed by 13 states representatives out of 16 , but Patel respected Gandhi’s request to not be the first Prime Minister.As the first Home Minister,Patel played a key role in integeration of many Princely States into the Indian Federation.Sardar Patel was an Indian Barrister statesman,one of leaders of Indian National congress and one of the founding fathers of Republic of India.He is known to be social leader of India who played an unparalleled role in the country’s struggle for independence and guided its intergration into united,independent Nation. As the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India,Patel orgainised relief for refugees in Punjab and Delhi and led efforts to restore peace across the Nation.Patel was officially awarded the Bharat Ratna India’s highest Civilian honor posthumously in 1991 Patel’s birthday,31 october is celebrated nationally in India as Sardar Patel Jayanti.The Sardar Patel National Memorial was established in 1980 at Moti Shahi Mahai in Ahmedabad.It comprises a Museum gallery of Portraits and historical pictures and a library which stores important documents and books associated with Patel and his life.Amongst the exhibits are many of Patel’s personal effects and relics from various periods of his personal and political life.He appeared on the cover page of TIME MAGAZINE in its Jan 1947 publication.Patel is the namesake of many public institutions of India.A major initiative to build dams,canals and hydroelectric power plants on the Narmada River valley to provide a tri state area with drinking water,electricity and increase agricultural production was named Sardar Sarovar recently,the Gujarat Government has announced its plan to build a182 mtr tall statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel named as Statue of Unity near the main dam,which will be the world’s tallest statue.Patel is also the namesake of the Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology in Surat,The Sardar Patel University,The Sardar Patel High School and Sardar Patel Vidyalaya which are among the Nation’s Premier institutions.India’s National Police training academy is also named after him.
On the Commemorate the birth anniversary of sardar vallabh bhai patel nation observes 31st October as “RASHTRIYA EKTA DIWAS”
By : Ravi Rohmetra
Social worker and writer
Mob :9419652999
