India, Nov. 1 -- India on Friday celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of the first home minister and deputy prime minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who welded the country into one nation post-independence. This week, we recommend Patel: A Life, a comprehensive biography pf Patel, detailing the life of one of the country's founding leaders, who entered politics by mobilising peasants in Gujarat according to Gandhian principles. Rajmohan Gandhi's biography draws on private correspondence, papers, and diaries, including those of Patel's daughter, Manibhen. Patel: A Life provides an account of Sardar Patel's role in India's freedom struggle and unification. The book covers his life from his early days in Gujarat as a Congress leader to his role in the integration of princely states. It offers insights into Patel's personality, his relationship with other leaders such as the first prime minister,Jawaharlal Nehru, and his loyalty to MahatmaGandhi....