His Journey

1875 
One of the six children born to Ladba and Zaverbhai of Karamsad, a western Indian town in Kheda district of Gujarat. Vallabhbhai was born in Nadiad at his mother’s parental home. The date was not registered. October 31 is an adopted birth date.  Spent childhood and had initial education at Karamsad.

1891
Went to Petlad, a nearby village, to study English 4^th and 5^th standard.

1893
Married to Zaverba of Gana, a nearby village.

1897
Passed his Matriculation exam from a Nadiad high school.

1900
Passed the exam of District Pleader and started practice at Godhra.

1902
Moved from Godhra to Borsad in Kheda district.

1903
Birth of daughter, Manibehn.

1905
Vitthalbhai Patel, elder brother, went to England to become a Barrister while Vallabhbhai, who was all set to go according to the original plan, stayed back out of respect for the elder brother.
Birth of son, Dahyabhai.

1909
Wife Zaverba passed away in Mumbai after surgery.

1910
Went to England to fulfill his long-time dream of becoming a Barrister. Enrolled at Middle Temple.

1913
Returned to India as a Barrister and settled in Ahmedabad.

1915
Entered public life as a member of Gujarat Sabha.

1916
Came in contact with Gandhiji as a member of Gujarat Sabha. Attended the annual session of Congress at Lucknow in 1916.

1917
Became active in public life after getting elected as a member of Ahmedabad Municipality. Appointed chairman of Health Committee. Led Plague-relief efforts in Ahmedabad. Was appointed as a secretary of a committee of Gujarat Provincial Conference. Gandhiji was the president of the Conference.

1918
Became deputy of Gandhiji in Kheda Satyagraha. Worked for drought relief in Ahmedabad.

1919
Became the president of the managing committee of Ahmedabad Municipality. Started movement against Rowlett Bills.

1920
Indian Nation Congress won decisively in the Ahmedabad Municipality elections under his leadership. Abandoned western attire and adopted Khadi. Collected Rs. 10 lakh as Gujarat’s contribution to Tilak Swaraj Fund.

1921
Appointed the Chairman of the reception committee in the 36^th annual session of Congress held at Ahmedabad.

1922
Traveled up to Burma and collected Rs. 10 lakh for Gujarat Vidyapith established by Gandhiji.

1923
Led Nagpur Flag Satyagraha and Borsad Satyagraha from the front.

1924
Elected President of Ahmedabad Municipality. Introduced a Khadi uniform for the employees of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.

1927
Arranged and managed flood relief work exemplarily in Gujarat.

1928
Resigned as the President of Ahmedabad Municipality. Led Bardoli Satyagraha and earned the loving title ‘Sardar’—the leader, from the masses.

1929
Appointed as the President of Maharashtra Political Conference.

1930
Arrested for the first time at Raas, a village in Kheda district, and was jailed just days before the beginning of the historical Dandi March by Gandhiji. More jail terms followed this year.

1931
Elected president of Congress and presided over the annual session at Karachi.

1932
Sentenced to a jail term of 16 months.vImprisoned at Yeravada Jail  in Pune along with Gandhiji and Mahadev Desai. Mother passed away.

1933
Brother Vitthalbhai Patel passed away in Geneva on 22^nd October 1933. Refused to accept conditional parole for the last rites of the elder brother.

1934
Traveled to many parts of the country for election campaigning. Was appointed the Chairman of the Congress Parliamentary Board.

1935
Took up Plague relief work in Borsad taluka.

1936-37
Congress won by a huge margin in the provincial elections declared by the British government under the Government of India act, 1935, and formed governments in eight provinces. He actively guided the state governments.

1938
Became the president of the Kathiawad Political Conference. Played a key role in the success of the annual session of Congress organized at Haripura in South Gujarat.

1939
Friction with Subhas Chandra Bose on disciplinary issues within the party.

1940
Arrested for taking part in individual satyagraha and sent to Sabarmati Jail. Later shifted to Yeravada Jail.

1941
Treated for serious complications of the intestine.

1942
Arrested following Quit India movement along with entire leadership of Congress. Was kept at Ahmednagar Fort jail from 1942 to 1944.

1944
Shifted from Ahmednagar Jail to Yeravada Jail.

1945
Released. Took part in negotiations with Viceroy Lord Wavell for the freedom of India. In charge of the election management of Congress for Central and Provincial Assembly elections.

1946
Met the Cabinet Mission along with other leaders at Simla. Joined Viceroy’s Executive Council and headed the Departments of Home Affairs and Information and Broadcasting in the Interim Government. Became part of the Constituent Assembly formed to prepare the constitution for a free India.

1947
Supported the resolution of partition of the country as a last resort. States Department was created under his leadership to tackle the complicated issue of the merger of over 650 princely states with the union of  India. Became Deputy Prime Minister. Also held portfolios of Home, Information & Broadcasting.The efforts of the Nawab of Junagadh to merge his state with Pakistan failed. Indian army took Junagadh.

1948
Most of the princely states were merged with surrounding regions to form unions that eventually became new states. Hyderabad became part of India after his firm police action. British India and princely states became one in to an united independent India with the untiring efforts of Sardar and his trusted lieutenants.  Shocked by Gandhiji’s assassination. Banned RSS for six months. Lifted the ban on specific conditions.

1950
Warned about China’s dangerous intentions and the importance of maintaining Tibet as a buffer zone between India and China. Passed away on December 15 in Mumbai and Ccemated at Sonapur Crematorium in the presence of President Rajendra Prasad, Prime Minister Pandit Nehru and many other national and local leaders. Reportedly over one million people lined the streets and attended the cremation.

1991
Honoured posthumously with India’s highest civilian award, The Bharat Ratna  which was accepted by grandson Bipinbhai. The Bharat Ratna has been donated to the Sardar Patel Trust.