Shina Utavani

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is known by many names but ‘Iron Man of India’ remains the most popular. Vallabhbhai Patel was a man of his words. As a child, he was very humble but still, the signs of his strong character and determination were reflected. Numerous incidents made him the iron man of India. He was strong mentally and physically. During his childhood, many incidents made him earn the reputation of the Iron man. Once he had a boil on his armpit and in those days, there was a man in his village who used to cure that. To cure the boil, the man used to heat an iron rod and put it on the boil area of the body. Vallabhbhai Patel too went to the man to cure his boil. Putting the iron rod was painful and so the man did the process slowly as Sardar was a kid. But the young Patel asked the man to do it fast as the rod will become cold. Then he did not wait for the man to do that lashing and took the rod and did it himself. That was when young Patel stunned everyone in the village. He was tough and he was hard working. He borrowed books from lawyers and within a time limit of two years, he completed his studies. He was physically very strong from his tender gaze. As the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India, he took up the task of integrating the princely states into the Republic of India at the request of Mahatma Gandhi. With his strong personality and belief, Sardar Patel managed to achieve the impossible task of unifying India. This strong personality will be forever known as the ‘Iron Man of India’.

This is a story of Sardar Vallabhbhai.

Iron Man of India - Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Vallabhbhai Patel was born in Nadiad village of modern-day Gujarat to Zaverbhai and Ladbai on October 31, 1875. His father Vallabhbhai, served in the Queen of Jhansi's army while his mother was a spiritual woman. He started his academic career in the Gujarati medium and later on shifted to the English medium. He completed his high school in 1897. He married Jhaverba in 1891. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel went to England in 1910 to pursue his degree in law. He came back to India in 1913 and started his law practice in Godhra. He was a strong critic of the British government and its laws and chose not to work for the British. Sardar shifted his practice to Ahmedabad. He became a Gujarat Club member where he attended Mahatma Gandhi's lecture. Gandhi's words had a profound impact on Vallabhbhai and he soon followed Gandhian ideals to become the charismatic leader's devoted follower. He led a major "No Tax Movement" in 1918, which encouraged farmers not to pay taxes after the British insisted on tax after the Kaira floods. The peaceful movement forced the British government to return the land to the farmers. His determination to bring together the farmers of his area brought him the title of 'Sardar'. Patel continued his unwavering support to Gandhi whenever he conducted any movement. From Salt satyagraha to the Quit India movement, Sardar Patel was always there to support Mahatma Gandhi.&nbsp; Patel became the first Home Minister and also the Deputy Prime Minister after India gained independence. Through effectively merging about 562 princely states under the Indian Empire, Patel played a very crucial role in post-independence India.&nbsp;The India that we see today is the product of efforts put in by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Book Author

Vallabhbhai was a brave and brilliant student. He had leadership skills since his school days. There was one strict teacher in his school who used to use stick to punish the students. One day he fined a student. That student could not pay the amount so the teacher did not allow him to attend the class. Vallabhbhai thought this as a harsh injustice so he asked all the students to go on a strike. He arranged for students to sit in a nearby place. The strike continued for three days. Then the principal had to settle the matter by asking that teacher to be polite with the students.One teacher had a shop of stationary items so he was insisting the students to purchase stationary items from his shop. Vallabhbhai thought this as a wrong practice by a school teacher so he asked the students to boycott that teacher. He used to travel everyday along with his friends for school at N K High school and other people used to go Petlad for work. On the way there was a big stone that was hurting to the people they were going through that way. He noticed that people get hurt but no one is thinking or making any effort to move that stone away from the walkway. He decided to move that stone away from the way. Other friends and people kept going while he stopped there and moved the stone by himself. He had idea of helping people of this country at his early schooling days. Once, Child Vallabhbhai had a boil in the armpit. He went to the village barber and asked him to remove the boil with a hot iron. The barber was hesitated to put the hot iron rod on Vallabhbhai’s boil. Then he himself took the iron from the barber and without fear put on the boil. Thus he was fearless and brave since his childhood. Sardar Patel with Children / YouthWhen Sardar Patel was India’s Deputy Prime Minister, his grandson Bipinbhai visited New Delhi with some friends. They had come by night train. When they were taking breakfast with Sardar, Sardar asked them the reason to come to Delhi. His grandson Bipinbhai told that they have come to enjoy the vacation. Sardar asked them to move around in the city only for a day and then return back in the night train! He did not want anybody taking care of these boys and then expecting from Sardar in return. Once, Sardar went to a college to address the students. Some students insisted to stand only at certain place. Sardar mentioned in his speech, “I have heard of stubbornness of kings, stubbornness of children but for the first time I saw stubbornness of students!” This way he clearly taught a lesson to the students without scolding them. Once, some students came to invite Sardar for a lecture. He clearly told them that they should be ready to listen bitter truth from him and he will never speak sweet words of praise to appease the students. Thus he was not of the opinion to appease students to guide them for a true path but he believed to use hard words whenever required!

Vallabhbhai was a brave and brilliant student. He had leadership skills since his school days. There was one strict teacher in his school who used to use stick to punish the students.

sardar vallabhbhai stories

Stories help in improving a child's imagination. Here are a few interesting ones for you to narrate to your child.

Iron Man of India - Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Sardar Vallabhbhai patel’s Childhood

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