Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel was born on October 31st 1875 in Nadiad, a village in modern-day Gujarat. 

After completing a law degree in England, he returned to India in 1913 to start a law practice in Gujarat. 

He was a strong opponent of the British rule of India and entered politics after hearing a lecture by Mahatma Gandhi. 

Committing to the ideals and ambitions of Gandhi, Patel rose through the ranks of the Indian National Congress, becoming its President in 1931 and gaining the title Sardar – which means “chief” in Hindi, Urdu, and Persian.  

After India achieved independence in 1947, Patel became the first Home Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister. Patel played a crucial role in post-independence India by successfully integrating over 500 princely states under the Indian Dominion. 

His uncompromising approach to national integration earned him the sobriquet “Iron Man of India”. 

A statue of Sardar Patel in Gujurat, known as the Statue of Unity, is the world’s tallest state at 182 metres. 

Patel died on December 15th 1950. He was posthumously conferred the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, in 1991. His birthday, October 31st was declared Rashtriya Ekta Divas (National Unity Day) in 2014.#OccasionalDigest  #Gujarat