Sardar Patel's dream of a modern and prosperous Independent India was marked by regeneration of villages through the establishment of institutions of modern education, advanced agriculture and cooperative ventures. Vallabh Vidyanagar is the realization of one of his dreams; others being the establishment of the Institute of Agriculture at Anand, now one of the four campuses of the Gujarat Agriculture University, and Amul Dairy, the cradle of cooperative dairying. The genesis and phenomenal growth and development of Vallabh Vidyanagar, the well-planned and unique educational township situated in the heart of the Gujarat State, is stranger than fiction. Based on local talent and local resources it is a peerless example of self-reliance and dedication. While working in Sindh (now in Pakistan) as Superintending Engineer in Sukkur Barrage, Yevala in Maharashtra and Ahmedabad Municipality, as a distinguished Chief Engineer, Shri Bhailalbhai Dyabhai Patel, later warmly taken to their heart by the people of Gujarat as 'Bhaikaka', had earned reputation for his sense of values, discipline, dedication to duty and absolute integrity. Having been born and brought up in a family of strained financial resources in Sojitra village in Kheda district, the had known what it meant to be poor. So, while in the government service he would pine to dedicate himself to the cause of rural India which was sunk in inertia, squalor and abject poverty. Once during a meeting between him and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who knew Bhaikaka as a man of practical bent of mind, unusual ability and character, Sardar advised him to go to the villages and work for their regeneration. Sardar's wish was tantamount to a command to him. Bhaikaka's irresistible desire to improve the lot of the poor villagers coupled with Sardar's advice or command impelled him to take retirement from the service. He saw that the most potent instrument to improve the subhuman life of villagers was to bring higher learning to their very doorstep and thus the concept of establishing institutions of higher education started taking shape. He got in touch with Shri Bhikhabhai Kuberbhai Patel, a dedicated and farsighted educationist, fired by the same ideal.They held several meetings in different parts of Kheda (then Kaira) district. On March 28, 1945 it was decided to draw and implement the plan of planting an educational township in a wilderness infested with dacoits which later came to be known as Vallabh Vidyanagar. Bhaikaka worked out an ingenious scheme based on enlightened self-interest. He persuaded the farmers to donate their land free of cost, saying, “Donate your land to us now; we'll develop and use two thirds and return you the remaining one-third in course of time”. It was explained to them that while having the pleasure of assisting in the establishment of an educational township at no cost to themselves the building plots they would each obtain would appreciate sufficiently not only to cover the value of the land donated, but also leave a handsome margin of profit. It was a win-win situation and the response to it was overwhelming. At a meeting in Bakrol, a village at a hailing distance from today's Vallabh Vidyanagar, spontaneous offer of land was made to Bhaikaka and Bhikhabhai. A map of the village was spread before the duo and they were asked to mark with a pencil the area needed. Residents of Anand and Karamsad (Sardar Patel's village) followed suit. Thus a total of 555 acres of land at the intersection of Bakrol, Karamsad and Anand was received in donation. It was a torrential rain of land! The founders decided to establish two institutions - Charutar Vidya Mandal and Charotar Gramoddhar Sahakari Mandal. The former was to be devoted to the cause of education, that is, establishing colleges and schools and the latter meant to produce the building materials for educational institutions and residential quarters. They were registered on August 10, 1945 and September 7, 1945, respectively. Bhaikaka and Bhikhabhai came to reside in the wilderness in an improvised residence - a hut measuring 8 ft and 10 ft on March 3, 1946. More info.