On August 15, 1947, as India celebrated its freedom, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel sat in a command room, not at festivities. He was monitoring naval operations to secure Lakshadweep, ensuring India’s territorial integrity while others basked in Independence Day glory. This snapshot captures the essence of the man who brought modern India together into one cohesive unit, whose successes keep stunning the world.

Patel didn’t just unite India; he created it as we know it today. When the British left, 562 princely states stood at a crossroads—join India, join Pakistan, or remain independent. The subcontinent faced potential Balkanisation, and there were enough forces on the ground ready to make this happen. In India’s moment of vulnerable infancy, Patel employed diplomacy, persuasion, and, when necessary, force to integrate these states within months. Junagadh was annexed through a referendum, Hyderabad through Operation Polo, and hundreds of others through masterful negotiation. By 1950, India existed as we know it today—one nation, one geography, and one constitutional framework (barring Jammu & Kashmir, of course, the responsibility of integrating which fell on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah’s shoulders).

Despite his towering contributions, Congress denied Patel the Bharat Ratna. Jawaharlal Nehru received it immediately—some say he gave it to himself! So did Rajendra Prasad, C Rajagopalachari, Indira Gandhi, and later, Rajiv Gandhi. Even Indira Gandhi’s husband, Feroze Ghandy, received greater recognition in Congress circles than the man who stitched India together. Patel finally received the honour in 1991—not under Indira or Rajiv Gandhi’s tenures, but under PV Narasimha Rao, a prime minister from outside the dynasty, and a man whom the Gandhis sidelined just like........

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