Vallabhbhai Patel

Vallabhbhai Patel , 1875-1950, Indian political leader. He was admitted (1913) to the bar in England and set up a lucrative practice in India. In 1915 he met Mohandas Gandhi and within a short time became one of his closest associates, a staunch nationalist and a supporter of the Indian National Congress . A talented organizer, he successfully directed the civil-disobedience campaigns of the 1920s and 30s; several times he suffered imprisonment. He was mayor of Ahmedabad (1924-28) and was elected (1931) president of the Indian National Congress. In 1942 he was imprisoned, with other Congress leaders, for refusing to support the British war effort in World War II. After his release (1945), he initiated a purge of Communists (who had supported the war) from the Congress. Patel played an important role in the negotiations that led to independence and the partition of the subcontinent into the two states of India and Pakistan. In 1947 he was made deputy prime minister of India and minister of state affairs. Holding these offices until his death, he effected the complex and difficult feat of integrating the many princely states into the new Indian political structure.

Bibliography: See his Correspondence, 1945-50, ed. by D. Das (Vol. I, 1971); biographies by N. D. Parikh (tr., 2 vol., 1953-56) and L. N. Sarin (1972).

Patel, Sardar Vallabhbhai (1875–1950) Indian statesman. Deeply influenced by Mohandas GANDHI, he became the principal organizer of many civil disobedience campaigns, suffering frequent imprisonment by the British. He was elected President of the Indian National CONGRESS in 1931. He played an important role in the negotiations that led to the partition of the subcontinent into India and Pakistan. As Deputy Prime Minister (1947–50) he initiated a purge of communists and with the assistance of V. P. MENON, he integrated the PRINCELY STATES into the Indian Union.

Patel, Sardar Vallabhbhai (b. 31 Oct. 1875, d. 15 Dec. 1950). Deputy Prime Minister of India 1947–50 A successful criminal lawyer born at Nadiad, he went to England (1910–13) to be admitted to the Bar. There, he was profoundly influenced by Naoroji. Upon his return he became a successful lawyer in Allahabad, and in 1917 he became active in local politics. In that year, he became a loyal follower of Gandhi, supporting him in all his major campaigns. Although less well known than Jawaharlal Nehru, he gained a firm hold of the organization of the Indian National Congress (INC). In the end, however, what counted more was Gandhi's favour, so that the more moderate and conciliatory Patel was reduced to playing second fiddle to Nehru. Nevertheless, as Home Minister from 1946 he was responsible for the most successful achievements of Nehru's administration. He transformed the INC from a popular movement into an organized political party. Of even greater achievement was his successful creation of a viable administrative and governmental structure for an independent India, most notably the transformation of the 562 princely states into twenty-six viable administrative units which formed an integral part of the Union of India.