Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai (31 October 1875 – 15 December 1950), commonly known as Sardar Patel, was an Indian barrister, influential political leader, barrister and politician who served from 1947 to 1950. served as India’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs. A lawyer and senior leader of the Indian National Congress, he played a leading role in the country’s struggle for independence and oversaw its integration into a united and independent state. In India and elsewhere, it was often called Sardar, which means “chief” in Hindi, Urdu, Bengali and Persian. During the political integration of India and his 1947 Indo-Pakistani War, he served as Minister of Home Affairs.
Patel was born in Nadiad, Kedah district and grew up in rural Gujarat. He was a successful lawyer. He was one of Gandhi’s early political deputies. He became one of the most influential leaders. He was appointed the 49th President of the Indian National Congress and in 1934 and he organized the party in the 1937 elections and promoted the movement to quit India.
As India’s first Minister of Home Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister, Patel worked to restore peace by organizing relief efforts for divided refugees who fled Pakistan to Punjab and Delhi. He built a united India and succeeded in uniting the British colonies that formed the Dominion of India into a new independent state. In addition to the states that were under direct British rule, the Indian Independence Act of 1947 liberated some 565 autonomous monarchies from British sovereignty. Patel persuaded almost all monarchies to join India. His commitment to national integration in the newly independent country was complete and uncompromising, earning him the nickname ‘Iron Man of India’. He is also considered the ‘Patron Saint of the Indian Authority’ for establishing the modern All India Service System.
The Unity Statue, the world’s tallest statue built by the Indian government at a cost of US$420 million, was dedicated to him on October 31, 2018 and is approximately 182 meters high.
