Historical Figures

20. The boy from Karamsad village created a ruckus in London

Vallabhbhai's extraordinary hard work in London yielded results. To become a barrister, 12 term examinations had to be given. He scored the highest marks in the first term itself, for which he got a prize of five pounds and got a discount of two terms. Thus six months of time and expenditure were saved.

When he passed the barrister's examination with the highest marks in first class, his name became a rage in London. The heads of the Indians living in England were held high with pride. This was the first time in the history of London that an Indian had secured the highest position in this examination.

The Queen of London, in whose kingdom the sun did not set, many youths from that state used to come and sit in this examination, Vallabhbhai had left them all behind. When Vallabhbhai's pictures were published in the London newspapers, the stubborn boy from the neglected village of Karmasad in Gujarat became a hero in London overnight.

Indian families from far and wide started coming to congratulate Vallabhbhai. The British also left no stone unturned to show their kindness. An Englishman named Shedarj was once a commissioner in Gujarat, when he saw Vallabhbhai's pictures in the newspapers, he himself walked up to Vallabhbhai and went along with congratulating him and invited him to have food at his house.