Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | Persons in news | History
Why in news?
Vice-President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan honours Iron Man of India: Sardar Patel on his 150th Birth Anniversary.
He was an Indian barrister (type of lawyer who specializes in courtroom advocacy) & statesman.
He was one of the leaders of the Indian National Congress during the struggle for Indian independence.
He was India’s 1st Deputy Prime Minister & 1st Home Minister.
Birth –He was born in Nadiad, Gujarat on October 31, 1875.
Career –He completed law studies in England and returned to India as a barrister in 1913.
Ideology -He was strongly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas of nonviolence and peaceful protest.
Contributions in freedom struggle –
In 1917, he joined the Congress and became the secretary of the Gujarat Sabha.
He actively participated in the Kheda Satyagraha (1918) to secure exemption from land revenue payments due to crop failure.
Bardoli Satyagraha, 1928 – He successfully led the landowners resistance against increased taxes, earned the title of ‘Sardar’ and made him popular throughout the country.
He was actively participated in the Non-Cooperation, Satyagraha and Quit India movements and was at various points arrested by the British.
In 1931 (Karachi session), he was appointed as the President of the Indian National Congress.
He passed a resolution on Fundamental Rights and the National Economic Program, and ratified the Gandhi-Irwin Pact.
Post independence contributions
Constitution Making – He was elected to the Constituent Assembly from Bombay, member of the critical Advisory Committee.
Integrating Princely states – Few princely states like Travancore, Hyderabad, Junagadh, Bhopal and Kashmir were averse to joining the state of India.
Through the States Department, he successfully integrated these states in India, by ensuring the territorial integrity of modern India.
He also created the All-India Services as the “Steel Frame” that would continue to protect the country’s unity and integrity.
Death – He was passed away on December 15, 1950.
Awards & Titles –
He was posthumously honored with the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award, in 1991.
He is often referred to as the “Iron Man of India”.
Legacy –
Patel symbolizes strength, unity, and steadfast commitment to the nation.
His legacy endures through numerous institutions, monuments, and initiatives named in his honor.
In 2014, his birth anniversary is now observed as National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.
In 2018, the government has unveiled his statue as Statue of Unity (world’s tallest statue) in Gujarat on the bank of River Narmada.
