Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born
on October.31.1875 at Nadiad, Kaira district, Gujarat.
He passed his matriculation from
Nadiad English High School and subsequently graduated in Law.
He practised as a Pleader at Godhra,
Borsad and Anand (1895 – 1910) and later enrolled for Bar At Law in Middle Temple
Inn, London (1910 – 1913).
He practised as a successful Barrister at
Ahmedabad (1913 – 1917), but gave up his lucrative legal practice to join
Independence Movement under Mahatma Gandhi (1917 – 1947).
Post Independence he served as the
first Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister of Home Affairs (1947 – 1950) and
played a major role in the integration of princely states into the Indian Union.
He died on December.15.1950 aged
75 at Bombay.
Social Welfare Activist
He was appointed as the Secretary
of Gujarat Sabha in 1917 by Mahatma Gandhi. He successfully organized the
peasant’s welfare movement in Kheda District Gujarat which earned him the title
“Sardar or Leader”.
He also organized the milk producers’
cooperative movement in Kaira District.
He was President of Ahmedabad
Municipal Corporation (1922, 1924, and 1927) and organised relief efforts
during floods, famine and plague epidemics.
He collected funds from public in
India and Burma and established the Gujarat Vidyapeeth.
Independence Activist
He served as the President of Gujarat
Provincial Congress (1920 – 1945) and Karachi Session of Indian National Congress
(1931).
He actively participated in the
Independence Movement and was imprisoned several times by the British Raj for
his participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement, Non Cooperation Movement,
Quit India Movement and Salt Satyagraha Movement (1917– 1947).
Deputy Prime Minster and Union
Minister of Home Affairs
He played a major role in rehabilitation
of refugees following partition of India Subcontinent.
He
successfully integrated the 565 semiautonomous princely states into the Indian Federation
with diplomacy and minimal military action, which earned him the title “Iron
Man of India” or “Otto von Bismarck of India”.
He was
instrumental in the creation of All India Civil Services.
Awards
The Government of India
posthumously conferred on him the Bharat Ratna in 1991. The award was received by his grandson Shri. Vipinbhai
Patel from HE R.Venkatraman, The President of India.
Titles
A Man of fortitude, integrity and
determination, He was addressed as “Sardar or Leader” and “Iron Man of
India”
Doctorates
He was conferred
with Honorary Doctorate of Laws by Osmania University at Hyderabad in 1949 in recognition
of his services to the Nation.
Books
Life and Work of Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel, Editor Parshottam Das Saggi.
Films
Sardar
– a biopic produced and directed by Ketan Mehta in 1993
Resources
NATIONAL UNITY DAY
National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta
Diwas is observed annually since 2014 on October.31, The birth anniversary of
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to commemorate his tireless contributions for a Unified
India.
Postage Stamps
Postage Covers
 |
October.31.1965 Commemorative postage stamp and First Day Cover issued on the 90th birth anniversary of Vallabhbhai Patel |
 |
October.31.1975 Commemorative postage stamp and First Day Cover issued on the 100th birth anniversary of Vallabhbhai Patel |
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