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Bhai Pratap Dialdas: The Architect of Hope (1908–1967)
Early Life & The Freedom Struggle
Born on April 14, 1908, in Hyderabad (Sindh), Pratap Moolchand Dialdas hailed from an affluent Bhaiband family. By his 30s, he was a business tycoon with an international trading empire. However, his heart beat for India’s freedom. Bhai Pratap was a close associate of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, and Mahatma Gandhi, often funding underground activities against British rule.
A New Sindh in India
When Partition struck in 1947, millions of Sindhis lost their homeland. While many fled with nothing, Bhai Pratap-who could have lived in luxury abroad-chose to stay and serve.
He approached Mahatma Gandhi with a request: a piece of land where the displaced Sindhi community could rebuild their lives, language, and culture. Gandhi guided him to the Maharao of Kutch, His Highness Vijayaraji Khengarji Jadeja.
Recognizing the similarities between Kutch and Sindh, the Maharao generously donated 15,000 acres of land. Bhai Pratap famously stated that the land was too vast for one organization to manage, voluntarily retaining only 2,600 acres for SRC and returning the rest to the government for the development of the Kandla Port.
Founding Gandhidham
Bhai Pratap did not just build houses; he built a vision. He invited master planners from around the world to design a twin township:
Adipur
Designed as a cultural and residential hub, home to the Gandhi Samadhi.
Gandhidham
Designed as the commercial and economic engine.
Trials and Legacy
Bhai Pratap’s life was not without tragedy. In a cruel twist of fate, the man who gave everything for his people faced legal persecution in the 1960s on charges that were later proven false. Though he was eventually pardoned and his innocence vindicated, the ordeal took a toll on his health.
He passed away in London on August 30, 1967. His mortal remains were brought back to Adipur, where he rests near the Gandhi Samadhi—a fitting tribute to a man who was, in spirit and action, a true son of Gandhi.