Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born on 31st October, 1875 in Gujarat. He was
born into a farmer's family. In due course, he passed his matriculation
examination and after some years he passed the Law examination. He
practiced as a lawyer at Godhra.
He carried on a roaring legal practice. As he was ambitious, he went to
England and became a barister-at-law. In 1923, he became the leader of
Bardoli Satyagraha. Since then, he came to be called Sardar Patel. His elder
brother, Mr. Vithalbhai Patel, was the President of the Indian Legislative
Assembly.
He was jailed several times in connection with the freedom movement. He was
the right hand man of Mahatma Gandhi and his most trusted lieutenant. It
was Patel who maintained discipline in the Congress ranks. In 1936, the
Congress at the General Election won the majority of seats in seven provinces
of British India.
Sardar Patel was the most important member of the Central Parliamentary
Board.He became free India's first deputy Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru being the first Prime Minister. He was in charge of the Home
Department and administered law and order.
Every crisis finds its own man, India had its crisis man in Sardar Patel who
had single handedly ensured that about 560 provinces including that of
Hyderabad, which had toyed with the idea of joining Pakistan, were made part
of India. Sardar Patel was in the forefront of nation building before and after
Independence, but due justice has not been done to his memory and
contribution.
Future historians will marvel at his organizing capacity and superhuman
ability. The integration of about 560 Princely States and the elimination of
autocratic rule of the Maharajas and Nawabs will ever stand out as his unique
and greatest achievement. He did it without bloodshed and in the short span of
two years.

Was it not a miracle? To him rightly goes the credit of completely changing the
map of India. Tribal raiders and Pakistani troops attacked Kashmir and tried to
secure accession by force. He saw the writing on the wall. The Indian armies
landed in Kashmir by air.
The tide was stemmed, the tables were turned. The tribal raiders and Pakistani
troops were made to flee. Cease-fire was proclaimed in January 1949. The
police action against the Nizam of Hyderabad showed his iron will to see a
thing through, no matter how insurmountable the difficulties and how great
the opposition.
He was essentially a man of action. He was India's man of destiny. He was the
Iron man of India. He was the brightest luminary on the home front. He was a
walking volcano with fires raging in his heart. He was not a man to be ignored
or trifled with. Defeat he never knew, weakness he never felt and indiscipline he
never tolerated.
He was a pillar of fire and enthusiasm, but like a practical statesman, he was
also calm and unfathomable. He never hesitated to take a decisive step. He
combined quickness of decision with resourcefulness.
He was the greatest administrator and the best statesman that India has ever
produced. His death on 15th December 1950, left India poorer. By his death
free India has suffered a loss in political leadership that is difficult to repair.
Crores of our countrymen believe today that had Sardar Patel been the first
Prime Minister of our country, things would have been entirely different.
Whatever had happened had happened and it is time for every countryman to
strive for the unity, integrity, safety and security of our country, inspired by the
spirit and vision of Sardar Patel.
It is very difficult to envision India of today without the contribution of Sardar
Patel. Central governments decision to observe the birth anniversary of Sardar
Vallabhhai Patel as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas was intended only to do justice to
the contribution of the late leader to the unification of the country at a time
when the country was faced with trial and tribulation.