"Iron Man of India" | Architect of United India | First Deputy Prime Minister
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born on October 31, 1875, in Nadiad, Gujarat. A barrister by training and a committed follower of Mahatma Gandhi, he played a key role in India's freedom struggle and later in shaping the newly independent nation. His leadership in organizing non-violent peasant movements, especially the Kheda and Bardoli Satyagrahas, earned him the title "Sardar" (leader). After independence, as India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, Patel took on the massive challenge of uniting 565 princely states into the Indian Union. Through diplomatic skill and firm resolve, he integrated most of them peacefully, preserving India’s territorial integrity. Often called the “Bismarck of India,” Patel's legacy lives on in modern India's federal structure and governance. In 2018, his contribution was immortalized with the Statue of Unity in Gujarat—the tallest statue in the world—symbolizing national unity and strength.