UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 1 : Questions on Sardar Patel and revolt of Kittur (Week 126)

QUESTION 1

Discuss the role of Sardar Patel as the “steel frame” builder of India’s civil services and its significance for administrative integration in post-independence India.

QUESTION 2

Discuss how Rani Chennamma’s leadership challenged gender norms in early 19th-century India.

General points on the structure of the answers for UPSC Mains

Introduction

— The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction.

— It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts.

Body

— It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content.

— The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points.

— Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse.

QUESTION 1: Discuss the role of Sardar Patel as the “steel frame” builder of India’s civil services and its significance for administrative integration in post-independence India.

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s first deputy prime minister and Home Minister, played a pivotal role in unifying the nation post Independence.

— Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel stands foremost among the greatest leaders and builders of modern India. The Iron Man of India was the principal unifier of the country and the chief architect of India’s political integration.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

— India consisted of 565 princely states. These states were given the option to join India or Pakistan, or remain independent. It was through Patel’s extraordinary vision, indomitable courage, fiery nationalism and diplomatic skill that these diverse states were united under our national flag. Patel’s life and work remain a guiding light for modern India. We as a nation owe a deep collective debt of gratitude to his vision, courage, and statesmanship.

— Among the princely states that had not joined the Indian Union at the time of Independence in 1947 was the erstwhile Hyderabad State, ruled by the Nizam. It posed one of the most serious challenges to India’s unity. The Nizam, striking an intransigent posture, sought either complete independence or accession to Pakistan. However, Patel’s firm resolve and timely action in the form of Operation Polo in 1948 liberated Hyderabad and ensured its integration.

— Patel plunged into the thick of India’s freedom struggle, organising peasants and farmers against oppressive British policies during the Kheda Satyagraha. Later, during the historic Bardoli Satyagraha, Patel proved his organisational and leadership skills by galvanising the peasants and farmers against the British, which earned him the affectionate title of “Sardar”.

— The greatest example of Patel’s selflessness and magnanimity can be seen in his decision to withdraw his candidacy for the post of Congress president in 1946 in favour of Nehru, following Gandhi’s advice. Patel strove tirelessly to lay the foundations of a modern, democratic India.

— The Iron Man of India was also the chief architect of India’s civil services. With characteristic foresight, Patel envisioned an important role for the all-India services, which he described as India’s “steel frame”, in promoting the unity and integrity of the nation. In his celebrated address to the civil service probationers in 1947, Patel had counselled them to be guided by the spirit of service.

Conclusion:

— Patel was a trusted follower of Mahatma Gandhi and was among those leaders who remained steadfast in their loyalty to him throughout their lives. Deeply inspired by Gandhi’s ideals, he gave up his European attire and embraced the simple lifestyle of a true nationalist.

— The 182-metre-tall Statue of Unity near the Narmada Dam in Gujarat today stands as a lasting tribute to his remarkable role in unifying the nation and shaping the destiny of independent India.

(Source: What we owe Sardar Patel, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 150th birth anniversary: PM Modi unveils stamp, coin; Amit Shah flags off ‘Run for Unity’)

Points to Ponder

Read more about Sardar Patel

Read about his role in struggle for Indian independence

Related Previous Year Question

Assess the main administrative issues and socio-cultural problems in the integration process of Indian Princely States. (2021)

QUESTION 2: Discuss how Rani Chennamma’s leadership challenged gender norms in early 19th-century India.

Rani Chennamma of Kittur (Wikimedia Commons)

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— In 1824, Chennamma had led an armed revolt against the British. Her valour, revered in folk songs and tales, remains a central part of Karnataka’s political imagination today.

— In a highly patriarchal society, she also stands as an enduring feminist symbol, whose memory is often evoked to mobilise women to fight for their rights.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

— At the age of 15, she was married off to Raja Mallasarja of Kittur. This was a time when the British East India Company was rapidly expanding across the subcontinent, taking direct control of local chiefdoms and princely states, or installing pliant rulers. Soon, Kittur, a relatively tiny princely state, too, would come under increasing pressure from the British.

— Chennamma’s problems began with the untimely death of her husband in 1816. Her young son, Shivalingarudra, ascended the throne as vultures circled the kingdom, looking for an opportune moment to snatch power. Then in 1924, Shivalingarudra died, leaving Kittur with a vacant throne.

— Fearing that the British would seize the opportunity to take control of Kittur, Chennamma adopted Shivalingappa, the son of a distant relative, declared him as the heir to the throne, and took on responsibilities as a queen-regent. The British rejected Shivalingappa as the legitimate heir, in what would be a precursor to the subsequently introduced Doctrine of Lapse.

— The Doctrine, most associated with Governor General Dalhousie, stated that any Indian princely state under the suzerainty of the Company would be annexed and put under direct British rule if its ruler “manifestly incompetent or died without a male heir”. The Company would use this policy to take control of princely kingdoms across the subcontinent, perhaps most famously, the kingdom of Jhansi in 1853.

— The British decision put Chennamma in a bind: she would have to either let the British simply take over her kingdom, or fight a militarily superior power with little hope for victory. As things panned out, she chose the latter option.

— With Chennamma refusing to surrender to British rule, John Thackery, the British official at the nearby Dharwad, launched an attack on Kittur in October 1824. Chennamma marshalled her troops with courage and fought back.

Conclusion:

— Chennamma’s story is similar to that of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi. Yet in India’s nationalist historical imagination, the latter has been far more prominent. It is only with the formation of Karnataka, and the coming to the fore of several Lingayat leaders that the memory of Chennamma has been played up at a national stage.

— Today, Chennamma is invoked in a whole host of contexts, from being a symbol of Kannadiga pride or the Lingayat community, to a feminist icon, who inspires women to continue to fight for their rights.

(Source: Story of Rani Chennamma, Kittur queen who stood up to the British)

Points to Ponder

Read more about the revolt

Read about other revolts led by women

Related Previous Year Questions

The women’s questions arose in modern India as a part of the 19th century social reform movement. What were the major issues and debates concerning women in that period? (2017)

Discuss the role of women in the freedom struggle especially during the Gandhian phase. (2016)

Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 126)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 125)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 126)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 125)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 125)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 124)

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