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His public life started with his entry into the Bombay Legislative Council in 1912 where Vithalbhai Patel especially played a vital role in introducing two bills namely, ‘The Bombay District Municipal Act Amendment Bill’ and ‘The Town Planning Bill’. He was also instrumental in 1912, the very year of his entry into the Council, to pass an amendment to ‘The Bombay Medical Act’, seeking to register doctors for disciplinary action for malpractice. This amendment did not include Ayurvedic physicians. His role in introducing a passage for a Bill, i.e., ‘Compulsory and Free Education’ there in 1917 was also notable and historic. Vithalbhai Patel’s efforts and works for the promotion of the Ayurvedic and the Unani system were noteworthy. He was elected to the Imperial Legislative Council in 1918 and then to the Central Legislative Assembly opened in 1924.

A leading Swarajist, Vithalbhai Patel, was the political mentor of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose differing from Gandhi’s ideology of non-violence, although he wholeheartedly supported and participated in the freedom struggle under the Mahatma. As we know, Vithalbhai Patel, at the call of Gandhiji, at the launch of the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920, resigned from his Council seat. Before this, in 1918 he was also in the forefront of the Kheda Satyagraha. He was fully active in the Bardoli Kisan Satyagraha under the leadership of Vallabhbhai Patel himself. It is worthy to note that during the flood crisis in the Central Gujarat in 1927, he, even being busy as the President of the Central Legislative Assembly, found time to be among the peasants of the region. He also requested the then Viceroy Lord Irwin to visit the flood affected area. The Viceroy complied and visited to see the terrible situation prevailing there with his own eyes. He immediately sanctioned Rupees One Crore for relief and rehabilitation works which could be started immediately under the guidance and leadership of Vallabhbhai Patel.

In 1922, when differences arose on the issue of the Council entry programme, Vithalbhai Patel, along with CR Das and Motilal Nehru, formed the Swaraj Party and planned for the entry. 

He was the first Indian to hold the post of the President/Speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly. He was elected by a majority of the members of the House in 1925. Thus, he was the first elected Sabhapati of the Central Legislative Assembly (the Lower House) formed in 1921 under the provisions of the Government of India Act 1919 with the objective of implementing the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms. The Imperial Legislative Council was the Upper House (the Council of State with 34 elected and 26 nominated members). In August, 1925, when Vithalbhai Patel was elected as the President of the Central Legislative Assembly in the place of Sir Alexander Frederick Whyte (a British civil servant and an appointed President of the Assembly), the House had 144 members (104 of them elected and the rest 40 nominated from officials and non-officials). He was re-elected as the President of the Central Legislative Assembly in 1927 and held the Post till April, 1930. The Assembly had limited legislation powers. It was Vithalbhai Patel, who by his many historic rulings, directions and arrangements, made for practices and procedures, and, thus, laid the foundation of democratic traditions even during the Colonial rule. For the purpose of maintaining the dignity of the office of the Speaker of the House, he laid down well-defined rules and regulations. He also took steps to defend the rights and privileges of the members of the Assembly. In 1928, Vithalbhai Patel created a separate office for the Assembly, which was independent of the administration of the Colonial Government of India. He also established the convention of neutrality of the President in debates, but with the right to use a casting vote in favour of the status quo when needed.

Vithalbhai Patel drew the attention of the world towards the importance and need of India’s freedom. Thus, he lit the flame of the Indian freedom struggle not only in the country, but also abroad.  He died in Geneva, Switzerland on October 22, 1933.  Thus, even at the age of about sixty he was fighting for this great cause. He was indeed a fighter till his last breath.

Besides in the United States (where he was received officially by mayors of cities like San Francisco, New York, Detroit, Chicago and Boston), he also made tireless efforts for India’s independence in Europe, especially in Ireland and England, and sacrificed his life while pleading the case of the freedom of his Motherland, Bharatmata.

A life of only sixty years, and in that only twenty years of public life, there would be very few people in the history of India like Vithalbhai Patel, a distinguished history-maker.

Vithalbhai Patel was the great son of India who served the nation in many ways throughout his life and, thus, established himself as a great Indian. The year 2025 marks the 100eth anniversary of Vithalbhai becoming the first elected as well as first Indian President of the Central Legislative Assembly. On this occasion, we, grateful Indians, remember him with reverence and pay our heartfelt tributes to him. May his memories continue with us, Bharatvasis, forever! Jai Hind!