Nadiad

• 1. Introduction

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  Nadiad, a city in Gujarat in western India, produced Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who was born here in 1875. Patel became India's first Deputy Prime Minister. The city serves as the administrative centre of Kheda district. It lies within the Charotar region of Gujarat. Summers here reach 46 degrees Celsius. Rainfall arrives seasonally, between 70 and 120 centimetres per year. For well over a century, Nadiad has produced writers, politicians, saints, scientists, and cricketers of national standing. What shaped this city to generate so many figures of national impact? The Santram Mandir stands at the heart of the city. On every full moon, people gather at this old temple.

• 2. Voices on the Page

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  Govardhanram Tripathi, born in Nadiad in 1855, wrote the Saraswatichandra, described as an epic Gujarati novel. He died in 1907. Mansukhram Tripathi, born in 1840, was another writer from the city. He also died in 1907. Balashankar Kantharia and Manilal Dwivedi were both born in 1858. Kantharia was a poet; Dwivedi was a writer. Both died in 1898. These four figures represent a notable concentration of literary talent within a single city. Indulal Yagnik, born in 1892, added a political dimension to Nadiad's writing tradition. A writer himself, Yagnik led the Mahagujarat movement, demanding that Gujarat become a state in its own right. He died in 1972. Bakul Tripathi, born in 1928, worked as a humorist and died in 2006. The city's literary tradition had a sacred dimension as well. Shrimad Rajchandra, a saint, spent time in Nadiad.

• 3. Sacred Ground

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  The Santram Mandir is known throughout Nadiad for its charity work. Two historic gateways, the Marida Darwaja and the Amdavadi Darwaja, stand nearby. Nadiad is also home to the Mai Mandir. Shrimad Rajchandra was also a poet and philosopher. In 1895, he composed the Atmasiddhi Shastra in Nadiad. A memorial now stands at the site of that composition. It bears the name Shri Atmasiddhishastra Rachnabhoomi. The city's 2011 census counted 218,095 residents within its limits.

• 4. Rails and Roads

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  Nadiad Junction holds an 'A' Category designation from Indian Railways, a mark reserved for significant stations in the national network. The junction sits on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Main Line. Four platforms handle its passenger traffic. Two branch lines extend from the main station: one runs to Modasa and another to Petlad. Indian Railways plans to extend the Modasa line further, as far as Shamlaji. Eight bus depots in surrounding areas fall under the Nadiad Division: those at Kheda, Anand, Mahemdavad, Kapadvanj, Dakor, Mahudha, Borsad, and Khambhat. Regular services reach Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Gandhinagar, Surat, and Rajkot, with additional interstate routes. A bullet train station is under construction in Nadiad's southern district, part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor. The nearest airport, the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, is 65 kilometres away in Ahmedabad.

• 5. A Wider Reach

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  Verghese Kurien was born in 1921. A dairy engineer and social entrepreneur, he became known as the Father of the White Revolution in India. He died in Nadiad in 2012. Dinsha Patel, born in 1937, and Praful Patel, born in 1957, both entered politics; Praful Patel also worked in business. Amar Gupta, born in 1953, pursued computer science. Babubhai Patel also served in politics. Vishvesh Parmar built a career in Bollywood as a singer, recording artist, and music composer, while Mohsin Khan worked as an actor. Axar Patel, born in 1994, has pursued cricket. Nadiad's educational institutions include the C. B. Patel Arts College, the Uni Trust Surajba Mahila Arts College, and the Nadiad Ayurveda College. The J & J College of Science is another. The wider metropolitan area counted 225,071 residents in 2011. The Dinsha Patel College of Nursing and the Dr. N.D. Desai Faculty of Medical Science and Research continue to serve that population.