![]() Vallabhbhai took his early education in a high school at Petlad. While he was studying in the high school he displayed his organizational and political acumen. He successfully organized a campaign with the help of his friends and helped to elect poor teacher over a rich local businessman in the local municipal committee. He passed matriculation examination from Nadiad High in 1897 at the age of 22. In 1891 at the age of 17 he married to Zaverbai. In 1909 his wife passed away. In 1910 he went to England to study law. After three years Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel came back India and started practicing at Ahmedabad. At that time he was also the member of Gujarat Club and spending his spare time lavishly. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was deeply influenced by the thoughts and philosophy of Gandhiji and started following his views. In 1917 Gandhiji was elected as the President of the Gujarat Sabha and Vallabhbhai became the Secretary. In 1918 Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel led No Tax campaign in Gandhian Satyagraha style. This campaign was raised to help the poor farmer of Kaira who were unable to pay the tax because they lost their crops due to flood. This peaceful campaign compelled the British Government to return the seized property of the farmers. ![]() In 1937 Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was appointed the chairman Parliamentary Sub-Committee that was responsible to select the congress candidates provincial governments elections. He worked hard for the election and Congress won in most provinces. During the Second World War Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel raised a campaign to protest the British Government's decision of India's inclusion in the war. All the Congress ministers resigned at that time and joined the campaign. The Government arrested the protesters. In 1942 he joined the "Quit India" movement. During this time he delivered electrifying speech to more than 100,000 people in Bombay. The government again imprisoned him in Ahmednagar Fort. In 1946 in the election of Interim Government congress won in most provinces under the leadership of Sardar Patel. In this year Jawaharlal Nehru was nominated, as the Prime Minister and he became the Home and Information and Broadcasting minister. After independence he held this post. As a home minister he successfully handled the communal tension in the country. He also contributed a lot to integrate all the princely states into the Indian Union. The Sardar said, "We are all knit together by bonds of blood and feelings... Therefore, it is better for us to make laws sitting together as friends." Under his guidance the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service and other Central Services were started. He passed away in 1950.He was given the title of the 'The Iron Man Of India'. |