Sardar Patel: Unifier of Modern India

by R.N.P. Singh

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 on Kashmir and China. Though it covers just five years of Sardar Patel’s life and times, this is a work of historicity that every Indian must read to understand how India came to be the India that Google today shows us.

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 15, 2018

Reviews

[Ajay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a biography of Sardar Patel.
This is the book about how he unified India.
What a great man he was.

[Yash Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sardar Patel : The Iron Man Of India
------------------------------------------------------

'' During his visit to India in 1956, Soviet leader Nikita Khurshchev felt so overwhelmed by Patel's achievement as to observe : You Indians are an amazing people. How on Earth did you manage to liquidate the princely rule without liquidating the princess.''
--------------------------------------------------





🔖Sardar Patel, Unifier of modern India, is the story of a man and his zeal to unite his motherland, which was divided into 565 princely States. Some of the princely States was as large as a country in Europe, and some were as small as a group of villages.

🔖And the most important thing during the unification of India, that it was the bloodless revolution against the princes, none of them had been touched or killed by the armed forces of that time.

🔖Infact When India gained it's Independence after 150 years of British rule, the India of 1947 was very different from the India of today, at that time it was divided into British India and princely India.

🔖And many people encouraged anti-india elements, Because of their motive to balkanize India, and the most Ardent supporter of this plan was the former prime minister of Britain, Winston Churchill, who was in the favor of '' princestan ''.

🔖And some of the kingdoms like Bhopal, Hyderabad, junagad, Travancore, Jammu and Kashmir, tried everything to remain as independent sovereign kingdom, against the wish of the people, but their plan was foiled by the sardar patel and at last they have to sign the instrument of accession to the Indian Union.

🔖 Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was a statesman, visionary, freedom fighter, brilliant administrator and he remained Gandhian till last.

🔖 The Author of this book is a Former officer of the government of India's intelligence bureau, and his distinguished service credentials earned him a coveted president's Police medal, Indian police medal, the Sukriti and Kautilya awards.

🔖 Although it is not a Biography of sardar patel, but it is about his contribution to unite India as a single entity, and he does this job with great courage, determination, and sometimes also by using force against the princes like the nizam of Hyderabad and some other princely States like Bhopal, junagad, and Travancore.

🔖 The Author also included various photos of Sardar Patel and some of the important letters and correspondence which is related to him.

🔖 The language of the book is not tough to read, and be patient while reading this book. And I will recommend this book to only serious Readers, and if you are a student of history and interested in reading about India and especially about the Bismarck of india then you can surely go for this book.

My Ratings : 🌟 🌟 🌟🌟 ( 4/5 )

I hope you like the Review, thanks for reading, Jai Hind.

For more information You can visit - https://dontbignorant.in/sardar-valla...

Table of contents :-
--------------------
Integration of the Indian States
Eastern States
Greater Rajasthan
Travancore
Jodhpur
United states of kathiawar
Bhopal
Junagadh
Hyderabad
Jammu and kashmir
Patel's historic letter of 7 Nov 1950 to Nehru
Letter to Nehru, on china
Administrative Unifier and a great administrator
Patel : Greater than Bismarck

[Yathansh Joshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

Very detailed and elaborate, this is not a biography of Sardar, but an account of the amazing man and and his phenomenal work post Independence in securing and preserving India's unity and integrity, and an example of the able and far-sightedness statesman that he was.

Must read for a deeper and truthful understanding of Indian history.