Statue of unity

15 August 1947 – 15 December 1950 Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru Preceded by Position established Succeeded by Morarji Desai Minister of Home Affairs In office 15 August 1947 – 15 December 1950 Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru Preceded by Position established Succeeded by Chakravarti Rajagopalachari Supreme Commander-in-chief of Indian army In office 15 August 1947 – 15 December 1950 Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru Preceded by Position established Succeeded by Position destablished Personal details Born Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel 31 October 1875 Nadiad, Bombay Presidency, British India (now in Gujarat, India) Died 15 December 1950 (aged 75) Bombay, Bombay State, India Nationality Indian Political party Indian National Congress Spouse(s) Jhaverba Children Maniben Patel, Dahyabhai Patel Alma mater Inns of Court Profession Lawyer Political activist Religion Hinduism Awards Bharat Ratna Ribbon.svg Bharat Ratna (1991) (posthumously) Famously called Iron Man Of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (31 October 1875 – 15 December 1950) was the first Deputy Prime Minister of India. He was an Indian barrister and statesman, a leader of the Indian National Congress and a founding father of the Republic of India who played a leading role in the country's struggle for independence and guided its integration into a united, independent nation. In India and elsewhere, he was often addressed as Sardar,[1] which means Chief in Hindi, Urdu, and Persian. He acted as de facto Supreme Commander-in-chief of Indian army during Political integration of India and Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 towering statue made of steel and bronze is readying for a fall 2018 debut in India's westernmost state of Gujarat. As Claire Voon reports for Hyperallergic, the monument, standing 597 feet tall, will be the world's tallest upon completion. Dubbed the Unity Statue, the statue honors the country’s first deputy prime minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Patel, fondly known as the "Iron Man of India," played a key rule in unifying India's fractitious states into a single, independent country. He died in 1950. India's current prime minister, Narendra Modi, is the impetus behind the project, according to a press release by Michael Graves Architecture & Design, the company overseeing the design and construction of the statue. Modi, who previously served as Gujarat’s chief minister​, has long pushed for such a sculpture, and construction began in earnest after he was elected PM in 2014. Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/india-build-worlds-tallest-statue-180968690/#zg1wsuw5DLcIwKbx.99 Give the gift of Smithsonian magazine for only $12! http://bit.ly/1cGUiGv Follow us: @SmithsonianMag on Twitter