Historian explains how Vallabhbhai Patel became Sardar
The title was bestowed upon him by the people during the Bardoli Satyagraha, according to The Indian Express.
According to The Indian Express, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel earned the title of ‘Sardar’ from the people as a collective during the Bardoli Satyagraha. While he was previously called the farmers’ Sardar for fighting for their rights, the title became associated with him when the people chose him to lead the movement in Bardoli.
Patel's ascent as a national leader began with the 1918 Kheda Satyagraha. He joined the movement for peasant rights as a ‘Satyagrahi’ and helped secure concessions in revenue assessment for poorer peasants following crop failure.
During the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1920, Patel provided political leadership in what is now Gujarat. He was elected president of the Gujarat Provincial Committee and later chaired the Reception Committee of the Fourth Gujarat Political Conference.
In 1924, Mahatma Gandhi bestowed the title of ‘Sinhpurush’ upon Patel to laud his fearlessness. Patel also led the fight to place a statue of Lokmanya Tilak in Ahmedabad's Victoria Gardens in the early 1920s.
While Gandhi was imprisoned in 1922, Patel took responsibility for leading the fight against the British. He also served as the acting vice-chancellor for the first convocation of Gujarat Vidyapith.