Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: India’s Iron Man by Balraj Krishna

This biography of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is a comprehensive and vivid narration of his unique contribution to Mahatma Gandhi’s struggle for India’s freedom. Often called the ‘Iron Man of India’, he built the party machine through imposition of strict discipline, and as party boss, he supervised and directed the functioning of the Congress ministries post-1937 provincial elections. Patel’s post-1945 role concerned India’s freedom, and also marked his growing disillusionment with his own party in the failure of the Cabinet Mission parleys. He wanted to keep Jinnah out in the cold but was outmanoeuvred by Wavell who got the Muslim League into the cabinet as an equal with the Congress. Realizing that united India had become an impossible notion and the country faced chaos and total disintegration, Patel rose above all consideration to save and consolidate what would be left of India after Partition. The history of the Gandhian era cannot be properly understood unless Patel is appreciated for what he did and achieved for India. This book is an attempt to fill that gap.