Sardar vallabhbhai patel biography book
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About The Book
Vallabhbhai Patel (1875-1950) left his mark not only on the map of India but also on the minds of her people. He is said to have bequeathed the idea of an integrated India to the nation, and is often called the ‘Iron Man’, with an uncanny foresight and a clear vision of where independent India’s future lay. He was no superman, he was a statesman gifted with the rare quality of astuteness and pertinacity in his approach to problems. He was more than Bismarck in many ways. His decisive approach to the merger of the 565 princely States into the Union of India is a hair-raising story of grit, gumption and guts. It is the story of how a man, believed to be ‘the accurate bowman of Gandhi’s struggle…who knew no retreat’ wooed, cajoled and coerced Princes’ India into becoming a People’s India. Patel was convinced, ‘small States cannot subsist as independent entities without endangering Indian unity’ and this book tells the bold and brazen story of how State by State, from Junagadh to Patna, Travancore to J&K, that is, two-thirds of the land mass was shepherded under Mother India’s wings, by one man’s steadfast commitment to the larger cause, ‘no further division’ of the subcontinent. India is today suffering the consequences of ignoring Patel’s advise
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Books by Sardar Patel
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SARDAR- Vallabhbhai Patel
As prime minister of Britain, Churchill had ordered the preparation of an imperial strategy with the intention of balkanising India and tightening Britain’s post-war hold over her. The strategy envisaged two Pakistans, one in the west and the other in the east, both large in size at India’s expense: the west to include the non-Muslim east Punjab; the east, the whole of Bengal (despite Hindus comprising almost half the population), and the predominantly Hindu Assam.
Within her borders, India was to be balkanised with the creation of independent confederations of princely states. Attlee’s policy statement of 20 February 1947 was to implement the same, and Mountbatten was given the mandate to transfer power and quit India by June 1948, a date that was advanced to August 1947. However, Churchill’s imperial strategy was foiled by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He stood in the way of transfer of power, unless Punjab and Bengal were divided. Fearing the loss of Congress cooperation, Mountbatten was forced to reach an agreement with Patel. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel most significant gain was the concession that Britain would not interfere in the settlement with the princes. This enabled Patel to integrate over 560 princely states in a period of about 18 months a