Vallabhbhai Patel

Vallabhbhai Patel Biography

Sardar Vallabhai Patel was an Indian statesman who was one of the important leaders of the Indian National Congress. He was a social leader who worked for the independence of India. He was popularly known as the Iron Man of India. He is also called as Sardar meaning Chief.

He was born on 31^st October 1875 in the Nadiad in Gujarat. His parents are Jhaverbhai and Ladba Patel. His elder brothers are Somabhai, Narsibhai and Vithalbhai Patel. He had one younger brother, Kashibhai and sister Dahiba. When he was young he assisted his father in the fields. He was a keen devotee of Swaminarayan Sampraday.

He married Javerbha when he was eighteen years old. He studied at Nadiad, Petlad and Borsad and passed his matriculation examination when he was 22. He set up his house in Godhra and started to live with his wife. He had one daughter born in 1904 and a son Dahyabhai in 1906. He practiced law in Godhra. His wife died of cancer in 1909 and he did not want to remarry. He went to England at his age of 36 and completed the course with good results. Then on his return, he settled down in Ahmedabad and became a successful barrister.

He gave a speech in Borsad in September 1917 and encouraged people to sign the petition of Gandhi demanding Swaraj. When there was a famine and plague in Kheda he organized the relief efforts and made a plea for the exemption of taxation of the Kheda peasants. At that time, Gandhi was involved in the activities in Champaran and so Patel has to fight for this cause.

He led the Satyagraha in Nagpur in 1923. During the Dandi Salt March he was arrested in the village of Ras. This created great rustle in Gujarat. He was elected as the president of Congress party in the year 1931 in Karachi. He again was arrested in 1932 and put in Yeravda Central Jail. At this time he and Gandhi came closer to each other. He was not allowed even to attend the cremation of his brother who died in 1934.

When Nehru became the Vice President of the Viceroy’s Executive Council, Sardar Vallabhai Patel took charge of the home affairs and information department. He played an important part in the unification of Hyderabad and integration of Lakshadweep islands with India. For these efforts, he was called as Bismark of India. He died on 15^th December 1950. 

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Updated: October 29, 2011