Vallabhbhai Patel was an Indian barrister statesman and a prominent leader of the Indian Independence movement. Popularly known as Sardar Patel and The Ironman of India, he was the first Deputy Prime Minister and the first Home Minister of independent India. After studying law in England, he practiced law in Ahmedabad. Initially not much interested in the independence movement, a meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in 1917 changed his views. Leaving his law-practice, Patel committed himself to the Independence struggle. He received the title of Sardar (leader/Chief) after successfully leading the agitation of the farmers of Bardoli (1928). His greatest contribution to the post-independence India was the integration of 565 princely states, and creation of All India Services. In 1991 India’s highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna was conferred upon him posthumously. Childhood & Early Life Sardar Patel was born Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel in 1875, at Nadiad, Gujarat, British India, in a middle-class agricultural family of Lewa Patidar community. There is no official record of his date of birth, but October 31 is mentioned as his date of birth on his matriculation exam papers. He was the fourth of six children of Jhaverbhai Patel and his wife, Laadbai. His father had participated in the 1857 Mutiny, in the army of Rani Laxmi of Jhansi. Growing up in a traditional Hindu family, his early childhood was spent on family agricultural fields at Karamsad. By late teens, he completed his middle school education at Karamsad. In 1891, he was married to Jhaverba when he was 16. At 22, he completed his matriculation from a high school in Nadiad/Petlad in 1897. Patel aimed to work and collect necessary money to go to England to study law. After schooling, he studied by borrowing law books and passed the District Pleader’s examination. In 1900, he started his law practice at Godhra. He brought his wife, Jhaverba, from her parent’s place, and together, they set up a home. They had two children: a daughter, Maniben 1904 and a son, Dahyabhai 1906. With his hard work and dedication, Patel became a capable lawyer. During a plague epidemic, he contracted the disease while nursing a friend. Leaving his family, he went to Nadiad to recuperate. In 1902, Patel moved to Borsad Kheda district to practice law, where he successfully handled challenging court cases. With his law practice, he saved enough money to go to England to study law. The ticket bore the name V.J. Patel, which were also the initials of his elder brother, Vithalbhai Patel. After learning about his elder brother’s wish to study in England, Vallabhbhai decided that his elder brother should go first, so as to maintain family reputation.