LEADERSHIP

ISA 1
VEDANT GHATWAL

X-BBA-2033

SYBBA

VALLABHBHAI PATEL
INTRODUCTION

Full Name: Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel

Date and Place of Birth: 31 October 1875, Nadiad, Gujarat, India

Death: December 15, 1950, Bombay [now Mumbai], Maharashtra, India (Age 75)

Father: Jhaverbhai Patel

Mother: Ladba Devi

Nickname: Sardar Patel, Iron Man, The Pioneer of All India Services

Education: Advocate (England)

Post: 1st Deputy Prime Minister of India (15 August 1947 – 15 December 1950)

Home Minister (15 August 1947 - 15 December 1950)

Children: Maniben Patel, Dahyabhai Patel

Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel was born on 31st October 1875 at Nadiad in Gujarat, popularly known as a
“IRONMAN “of India. He was one of the most influential freedom fighter and social leader of India
during Indian freedom movement. He is always appreciated for accomplishing the integration of princely
states of India. In India and across the world, he is known as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, where Sardar
stands for Chief in many languages of India.

Born and raised in the countryside of Gujarat, Vallabhbhai Patel was a self-educated, forceful and
successful Gujarati lawyer, when he was inspired by the work and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. Patel
organized the peasants of Kheda and Bardoli in Gujarat inn on-violent mass civil disobedience against
the oppressive tax policies imposed by the British Raj - becoming the one of the most influential leader
in Gujarat. He rose to the national leadership of the Indian National Congress and at the forefront of
rebellions and political events — organizing the party for elections in 1934 and 1937, and helping lead
Indians into the ‘Quit India Movement’. Patel was known amongst nationalists as "Gandhi’s lieutenant,"
and he enjoyed considerable support and respect in the Congress for his decisive and straightforward
leadership.

Becoming the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India, Patel organized relief and
rehabilitation efforts in the riot-struck Punjab and Delhi, and leading efforts to restore peace and
security. His leadership obtained the peaceful and swift integration of all 565 princely states into the
Republic of India. Patel’s initiatives spread democracy extensively across India, and re-organized the
states to help transform India into a modern federal republic. His admirers call him the Iron Man of India

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as the first Prime Minister of India?

In the AICC Session of 15th January 1942 held at Wardha, Gandhiji formally designated Jawaharlal Nehru
as his political successor. In Gandhiji’s own words “… not Rajaji, not Sardar Vallabhabhai, but Jawaharlal
will be my successor…When I am gone, he will speak my language”.

Thus, it can be seen that it was none other than Gandhiji who wanted Nehru to lead India, apart from
the masses. Patel always listened and obeyed Gandhi – who himself had no political ambitions in free
India.

However, for the post of Congress Presidentship in 1946, Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) had a
different choice – Patel. Even though Nehru had a great mass appeal, and a broader vision about the
world, 12 out of 15 PCCs favoured Patel as Congress President. Patel’s qualities – as a great executive,
organizer and leader – were widely appreciated.

When Nehru came to know about the PCCs choice, he remained silent. Mahatma Gandhi felt that
“Jawaharlal will not take second place”, and he asked Patel to withdraw his nomination for Congress
President. Patel, as always, obeyed Gandhi. Nehru took over as Congress President for a short period of
time in 1946, before handing over the responsibility to J.B.Kriplani.

For Nehru, the Prime Ministership of Free India was just an extension of his role in the interim cabinet.

It was Jawaharlal Nehru who headed the interim government of India from 2nd September 1946 to 15th
August 1947. Nehru was the Vice-President of the Viceroy’s Executive Council with powers of the Prime
Minister. Vallabhbhai Patel held the second-most powerful position in the Council, heading the
Department of Home Affairs and Department of Information and Broadcasting.

On August 1, 1947, two weeks before India became independent, Nehru wrote to Patel a letter asking
him to join the cabinet. Nehru, however, indicated that he already consider Patel as the strongest pillar
of the Cabinet. Patel replied guaranteeing unquestioned loyalty and devotion. He had also mentioned
that their combination is unbreakable and therein lies their strength.
STATUE OF UNITY

In 2014, the Government of India decided to celebrate the birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as the
"National Unity Day" to honour Sardar Patel's contribution to integrated India. Since then, on 31
October (date of birth of Sardar Patel) is celebrated as the "National Unity Day".

Apart from this, the world's tallest statue, the 'Statue of Unity', was dedicated to him on 31 October
2018, which is about 182 meters (597 ft) high

Leadership styles

TRANSFORMATIONAL

Leadership style of patel was transformational because of his vision And he used to inspire his followers
by his vision

Sardar Patel was a great political leader with exemplary qualities. Straightforward and outspoken, his
commitment to secular India was true and well-defined. Blessed with extraordinary qualities of courage,
integrity and an iron determination

LEADERSHIP QUALITIES

Tenacity:-one the most inspiring strong point of Sardar Patel was his firmness to the goal decided to
achieve. His tenacity was indeed incomparable.

Invincibility:- After getting freedom, when whole world was thinking that India would be divided in
thousands of parts, Sardar Patel was the person who proved them wrong and integrate India.

Ability of strong and fast decision making skill :- Before freedom or after freedom Sardar Patel was
always know for his decision making.

Influence & team building :-one of the most important characteristic of any leader is his influencing
ability. Sardar Patel was full of this skill. For eg. Organized farmers of Kheda and Bardoli of Gujarat to
hold mass- nonviolent civil disobedience first time in India. At that point farmers were not united and
was determined to do violent movement against Britishers.

Conflict resolution :- Sardar Patel was also having great conflict resolution skill. There are so many
example in his life for it but the way he consolidated Indian Princely States that is really incomparable.

Flexibility according to situation :- Sardar Patel’s most inspiring characteristic was adaptability with any
kind of situation. When he was moving from one village to another to unite the India, he faced many
hurdles, he went to jail many times

Never ending Winning Spirit

Example of leadership situation

Patel appealed to the patriotic and national sentiments of the Princes and invited them to join the
forming of a democratic constitution in the national interest of India. He persuaded them to surrender
defense, foreign affairs and communication to the government of India.

Patel with an iron fisted hand self-possessed the Nizam. When the Nizam swanked anti-India feelings
and let loose a blood both by the Razakars, Patel decided upon police action. He ordered the army to
March into Hyderabad. The Nizam surrendered and Hyderabad was acceded to India.

One such was Operation Polo. Sardar Patel handled the issue of Hyderabad samsthan at a critical
juncture. The Razakars were committing horrendous crimes on the people, especially the Hindus, while
the Nizam was toying with the idea of either making Hyderabad an independent country or merging it
with Pakistan on the lines of East Pakistan.

Inspired by the slogan of Vande Mataram, the people of Hyderabad samsthan fought for three causes:
against Razakars, for the liberation of Hyderabad Samsthan and for the unification of Hyderabad into the
Indian Union.

As a consequence of Operation Polo, the Nizam surrendered on September 17, 1948, and Hyderabad
samsthan got merged with the Indian Union. This is a momentous occasion in history. But for Sardar
Patel, Hyderabad samsthan would not have been part of the Indian Union.

Thus Sardar Patel ensured, by his calculated methods, the absorption of a multitude of princely states
into the Indian Union. Without a civil war, he secured the solidarity of the nation.

learnings

he future of the nation is Youth: One exciting thing about Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is his vision for a new
generation. He emphasizes the importance of building strong morals for young men and women to lead
a nation to greatness. If the youth of the nation are driven by selfishness, there is little that can be
achieved in the nation and the luxury that can be achieved.

Conclusion

Sardar Patel’s contribution to the Indian Freedom struggle has been remarkable and incomparable. He
was an immense source of inspiration for the youth of Nation, not only during the Freedom movement
but also in the current day. He is being termed as the self-made man in True sense. His ideologies of
Integration have laid the foundation of Unity. He was conferred as the Bharat Ratna Award
posthumously in 1991.