India is on Saturday observing the 140th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who played a major role in the country's struggle for independence and subsequently guided its integration into a united, independent nation.
Here are some memorable quotes by Patel, who was also regarded as the Iron Man of India:
* October 3, 1934: Women in one way are extremely courageous. Men do not endure the miseries to the extent women do. So long as women are not sufficiently educated and inculcated with national spirit, till then there will be no prosperity.
* September 18, 1950: Young men and women are to build-up a strong character. A nation's greatness was reflected in the character of her people. It was sullied by selfishness, such a people could not prosper or achieve great things.. Selfishness had its place in life as everyone had to look to his own needs and that of his family, but it could not be made the be-all and end-all of life.
* January 2, 1935: Freedom is going to be built up from bottom and not going to fall from above.
* July 19, 1940: Character is very essential for real success. One who has no character can succeed neither in politics not in commerce. Commercial morality is very necessary in business. Without honesty and mutual confidence it is impossible to achieve success. Intelligence is also necessary for success in the commercial field. Fate also has its own place but without character and commercial morality everything else fails.
* October 3, 1950: The education system should be so reoriented that young men were taught to do things with their own hands in the agricultural and industrial fields.
* May 16, 1950: In the history of this country there has never been such consolidation as has been today. Indian history has shown in the past and, if we take a lesson from past history, then it is our duty to preserve and consolidate the hard earned freedom for which many people have made tremendous sacrifices.
* January 25, 1949: Our prestige has gone high because of Mahatma Gandhi. People are praising the manner in which we have achieved integration of the States without violence or bloodshed and by peaceful means and co-operation and in a spirit of cordiality.
* August 11, 1947: The need of the hour is to increases the wealth of the country and this can only be done by putting in more and more work and thus increasing production.
* April 16, 1947: Caste, community will rapidly disappear. We have to speedily forget all these things. Such boundaries hamper our growth
* January 5, 1948: Even an inch of Kashmir will not be yielded. India wanted to be liberal in setting affairs with Pakistan and wanted to live and let live. But if Pakistan wanted to shell India with the money received from India, it could not be allowed.
* June 13, 1935: A drunkard can never become a man of character. He does not have sense of good or evil. He is not able to control himself. Therefore, give up drinking forever.
* October 23, 1935: No one should spit on the roads, should not throw remnants of eatables on the streets, and should not make the places dirty.
* June 16, 1933: Serve the people without any expectation, and try to be as much pure as possible by mind, words and deeds. It you do that much there is not placed for pessimism. It is but natural that when you are all alone mind runs a riot, but if you continuously engage yourself in some work then the mind will be peaceful.
* September 19, 1950: No distinctions of caste and creed should hamper us. All are the sons and daughters of India. We should all love our country and build our destiny on mutual love and help
* January 1, 1935: Idleness is the greatest enemy of man.
* February 12, 1928: Discipline and organization mean half the battle won.
* September 21, 1929: Unite and you will not have to fight.
* January 26, 1939: Non-violence has to be observed in thought, word and deed. The measure of our non-violence will be the measure of our success
