Shree Gopaldas Patel Foundation

About Late Shree Gopaldas Patel

Shree Gopaldas Patel was born on 24^th April 1911, in a small village called Poglu, 6 KM away from Prantij, the Taluka headquarter of Sabarkantha Disctrict in Gujarat. He got his primary education in his birth village, Poglu. Later he went to Ahmedabad for higher studies and graduated in 1934 from the reputed Gujarat College and was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Arts (BA). He entered into public life when as a student he joined the Salt March against British Government as a part of Fight for Freedom in India in 1930. He also actively participated the Quit India Movement in 1942 and was sent to jail for 11 months. After independence in 1948, when Sabarkantha district came in to existence, he joined Indian National Congress as a social worker. Due to his commitment towards the society and common people, he was made the secretary of District Congress Committee. Then he continued stepping on and on and became the president of the District Local Board. He was elected an MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) of Indian National Congress. It was really a reward of his services that he was made the vice chairman of District Development Board and later he was also chosen the first president of District Pachayat, Sabarkantha.

Contribution

His active contribution in the co-operative activities of the district is incredible. It was his strong, unparallel and trustworthy administration which took the co-operative sectors and several institutes working in this field at the highest peak, such as Sabarkantha District Sell & PurchaSe Union, Sabarkantha District Central Co-Operative Bank, Spinning Mills and the Sabarkantha District Milk Producers Union (The Sabar Dairy). His honest administration served these institutions and strengthened them. Not only these, he also kept inspiring and leading successfully many more co-operative institutions and workers. He passed away on 14^th June, 1986.

To make his works and services towards the people toward the District and the co-operative sectors, the leaders of the Sabarkantha District, alongwith numbers of co-operative workers established Shree Gopaldas Patel Foundation in 1986 in the memory of this prominent freedom fighter and trustworthy, honest and a true Gandhian leader. This was the best homage given to this renowned and prominent leader of co-operative sector. The leading political and co-operative workers of the district who loved Gopalkaka too much decided to shape this idea and the dream really came true when "The Gopaldas Patel Foundation" was requested under Public Trust and Society Act — both on 18^th August, 1986. A big amount of Millions of Rupees were donated to reach this purpose by the leading co-operative institutions of the district & state. Ex-MP (Member of Parliament) Late Shri Shantubhai Chunibhai Patel was nominated the first president of foundation having a Board of Directors including 11 members who themselves were the leading personalities of co-operative and political sectors of the district.

The Foundation

Shree Gopaldas Patel Foundation handles several activities for a multi-dimension developments of the district. Its very first step in this direction was the successful beginning of Sabar Gram Vidyapeeth, Sonasan to reach the goal of educating the new generation of the district. The main objectives of the foundation is to impart the Basic Higher Education, providing with Hygiene, Farming, Cattling and Animal Husbandry. To sum up its objectives, we can say that the entire Rural Development is the main motto of this foundation.