31 st October - Birth Anniversary of Sardar Patel- Bismarck of India

One lesser known point of his contribution to India. India 's Lakshdweep and Minicoy Islands located very very strategically in the Indian Ocean are 100 % Muslim. When , in 1947 , India was being divided on communal lines , Sardar Patel sent an Indian Naval ship to Lakshdweep which raised the Indian Tricolor there. After a few days a Pakistani ship arrived but had to return.

The greatness of Sardar was that unlike Kashmir ( which is only Muslim MAJORITY ) that Sardar Patel never let Lakshdweep ever become an Issue.

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Had Sardar 's views prevailed there would not have been any Kashmir problem and India would not have surrendered abjectly in Tibet. With Tibet existing as an independent nation , there would not have been any hostile Chinese neighborhood. Sardar Patel had warned Nehru against the Chinese designs on Tibet and the repercussions it would have on India..

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Sardar Patel placed the interests of his country above every thing . He did not encourage his children to interfere in state matters and , he did not leave behind a dynasty.He was the true " Iron Man of India ) and after Mahatma Gandhi , Gujarat 's ( then Bombay Presidency ) biggest gift to India