Vithalbhai Patel

Vithalbhai Patel Biography

Vithalbhai Patel was a political leader and legislature. He was the elder brother of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and they together founded Swaraj Party in 1922. Chittaranjan Das and Motilal Nehru were other leading members associated with the party. Though he couldn’t completely accept philosophy and leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, he was also associated with Indian National Congress and freedom struggle movement till 1922 when Swaraj Party was formed. He was not against Gandhi principles, but slightly different from Gandhi’s views.

He was born in the year 1873 in Nadiad, a small village in the state of Gujrat. He had 4 siblings. Sardar Patel was four years younger to him. He completed his education in Nadiad and Mumbai. After studies he worked as a junior lawyer in the courts of Godhra and Borsad. His younger brother too worked as a pleader. Vithalbhai got married at a younger age to Diwaliba. He later did advanced studies in England. Once he completed 30-month course at Middle Temple Inn in London in 1913, he started his career as a leading barrister in the courts of Ahmedabad and Mumbai. His wife died two years later and he remained a widower throughout his life.

He was associated with Indian National Congress till 1922. Patel left the Congress to form the Swaraj Party with Chittaranjan Das and Motilal Nehru, following Chauri Chaura incident, when Mahatma Gandhi aborted freedom struggle movement. He won a seat in the Bombay Legislative Council. In 1923, he was elected first in the Central Legislative Assembly, and has served as its President. He made immense contribution towards Indian assembly during this period. He established the convention of neutrality of the President in debates, except the voting power. He was physically and mentally a strong person.

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Updated: April 24, 2016