Draft:DR. Zaverbhai H. Patel

Dr. Zaverbhai H. Patel    

Zaverbhai Harkhabhai Patel (December 9, 1903 – March 23, 1989) was an eminent wheat scientist of India,  karma yogi (Karma yogi is a person performing selfless action, without any ego, for the benefit of others), a patriot, a man of high integrity, a hidden jewel of India (his name Zaver means jewel) and a humanitarian. He spent all his 30 years of retirement life on wheat research at his own expense,  renting private farms, and with limited facilities, and without any computer or even a calculator for data analysis. [1 Sanmanpatra] [ 2 eminent] [ 3 Pancholi]

https://ibb.co/233Xt4X   ( 1 Bio Portrait)  ok

His invention resulted in a high yielding wheat variety named Lok-1 which benefitted Indian farmers by billions of rupees every year. [ 4 Tanna], .[ 3  Pancholi ]

Zaverbhai never cared for any recognition or awards because he was very modest, humble, and unassuming, and he wanted to devote all his retirement time to his experiments. He never published any articles/papers or made any presentations to any conferences or submitted his work for any awards. His goal was to help the farmers and not for any name, fame, or gain. That is why he named his invention Lok-1 (Lok= common folks) instead of Zaver-1 as suggested by many. As a result, many knew about Lok-1 wheat but not the name of its inventor. [3 Pancholi ]

World-renowned wheat scientist  Norman Borlaug [ 5 Borlaug]  developed high yielding Dwarf Mexican Wheat Varieties in Mexico which became a part of the Green Revolution, and for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Eminent Indian wheat scientist M. V. Rao [ 6  Rao ] noted that Lok-1 wheat significantly surpassed in yield of all the standard check varieties including the Dwarf Mexican Varieties, developed by Norman Borlaug, and  introduced in India. Dr. B. S. Jadon    [  7 Jadon ] noted that Lok-1 wheat contributed to Green Revolution and changed the status of the country from food importer to food exporter.

==Early Life, Education, and Family==

He was born on December 9, 1903, in a humble farming family in a small village, Gariyadhar (population 4,000) Gujarat State, India.

He was born to father Harkhabhai Meghjibhai Patel and mother Kuvarben Patel. Harkhabhai had a small farm and worked as a mechanic for a cotton-peeling factory. Zaverbhai was the eldest of 4 brothers and one sister. His name was Zaver, but the regional tradition is to call him with respect as Zaverbhai (suffix "bhai" meaning brother) when adult and Zaverdada (Dada meaning grandfather) when senior.

India was under British rule until 1947 and Gariyadhar was one of the 91 villages ruled by revered Maharaja Bahadursinhji Gohil of Palitana State. Gariyadhar had one primary school up to 5^th grade.

The Maharaja would have a monthly public meeting in Gariyadhar. At one of the meetings, 4^th grader Zaverbhai who was sitting in the last row raised his hand. Officers standing behind the Maharaja signaled him to lower his hand, but Zaverbhai did not. The Maharaja noticed him and asked “Son, do you have a question?” Zaverbhai said “Bapu, we have no school beyond the 5^th grade, so if can build a high school we can study further.” The Maharaja made some inquiry and found out that Zaverbhai was a smart, gifted student. Then he said “Son, we will build a high school sometime in the near future, in the meantime don’t worry about your education, the State will take care of it.” [ 8  Khachar]

This event affecting a smart kid’s life ultimately benefitted Indian farmers by billions of rupees.

The State arranged and paid the expenses for Zaverbhai to continue studies while staying with a host family in Palitana. Like most residents in the city, the host family did not have electricity. Zaverbhai would study under streetlights. Zaverbhai finished high school with high grades. He kept getting high grades and the Maharaja continued taking care of the expenses for further studies. [ 9  Maharaja] [10 Kumarpal]

Zaverbhai finished a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Bombay (now Mumbai) at Pune and MSc in Chemistry from the University of Bombay at Bangalore (now Bengaluru). While studying for the MSc he joined the Indian Institute of Science       [ 11 Ind. Institute ] [ 8 Khachar] India’s top research-focused university,  and worked as a research scholar. In recognition of his work, he was given the diploma of Associate of the Indian Institute of Science (A.I.I.Sc).

Although he had excelled at chemistry, his intense desire to help the farmers attracted him to the study of soils, crop enhancement and plant genetics.     [12  Inv Saga]

This was the time of India’s independence movement. After his MSc, the Maharaja asked Zaverbhai if he would like to go to England for further studies. Zaverbhai reluctantly said “I don’t feel like going to a country who is ruling India. If you allow, I will rather go to Germany.” The Maharaja approved it. So, Zaverbhai first went to Delhi for a short course in German, and then, in 1930, to the University of Berlin to study soil science and plant breeding. [13  Kanwar] [1  Sanmanpatra] [ 8 Khachar].He worked at the laboratories of the Institute of Soils Science at Eberswalde, Germany.

https://ibb.co/Rb2zkWS (2 Germany   Portrait)     ok

On his voyage to Germany, his steamer had a halt in London. He did not want to put his foot on English soil, so he stayed in the steamer. In 1931, from Germany, he went to the Graduate School of the University of Illinois, Urbana, USA.

https://ibb.co/8cz2z9K  (3  SS Hamburg)        ok

At the University of Illinois, Zaverbhai was a member of Gamma Sigma Delta, [14   Gamma] an honor society of Agricultural Science and he was duly elected associate of Sigma Xi  [15 Sigma], a highly prestigious, nonprofit honor society of scientists and engineers.

During his studies he got special permission to work as a foreign student.

https://ibb.co/rpFznXV (4 Uni of Ill)     ok

His PhD thesis was on “Cause of Seed Abortion in Soybeans and other Crop Plants.” The thesis based on the results of field experiments conducted over a period of four months, put forward the hypothesis that,

“ Immature seeds become abortive when water, together with some soluble substance, is withdrawn from the seeds through the hilum to the pods to such an extent as to injure or destroy the functional activity of the protoplasm. In a soybean variety there is 20% abortion. Hence, solving the problem of abortive seeds would increase the yield by 25%, a great economic value. The experimental evidence obtained in the present work, and that obtained by various other workers on different plants, have met the requirements of the proposed hypothesis and have explained facts which were, until now, unexplained. A method based on the principle of selection has been suggested to decrease seed abortion in crop plants such as cotton, soybeans, wisteria, lima beans, scarlet runner and others.” [ 16  Uni of Illinois]

Zaverbhai  completed a PhD in Agronomy-Plant Breeding in 1933 and returned to Palitana.

==Family==

In 1925, while studying for his BSc he got married to Maniben (1910–1995), daughter of Laxmanbhai Nathubhai Lakhani, a high school principal. They were married for 64 years and had 5 sons (Dr. Bharatbhai, Pratapbhai, Ashokbhai, Maheshbhai and Ashvinbhai) and 4 daughters (Umaben, Chandrikaben, Kokilaben and Ashaben).

His father, Harkhabhai, passed away in 1929 while he was studying for his MSc in Bangalore.

His mother, Kuvarben, passed away in 1930 while he was studying in Germany.

He deeply cared for his children’s education. His philosophy was that education is a great asset, you cannot lose it, and no one can take it away from you. All his children were well educated and settled in the USA.  His sons got degrees in engineering, medicine, and computer science. [12 Inv Saga]

Working for the Maharaja (1933 – 1948)

After finishing his studies at the University of Illinois, Zaverbhai returned to Palitana in 1933. He had received a scholarship from the Maharaja of Palitana for all his studies. He never forgot that.

The Maharaja routinely gave out scholarships to bright students with no strings attached. Many scholarships recipients chose to work elsewhere after their education to further their career. That was fine with the Maharaja. [9   Maharaja]

https://ibb.co/VLbJwKr  (5 Maharaja)        ok

Zaverbhai was very grateful, and he wanted to work for the Maharaja. The Maharaja, realizing Zaverbhai’s potential, asked him to find a better job in a bigger state that could afford to pay a proper salary and provide proper research facilities. However, Zaverbhai’s loyalty was unwavering and ultimately prevailed. As recalled by Zaverbhai this is how the dialogue went:  The Maharaja asked, “What would you take as a salary?” His reply “You have educated me and now giving me an opportunity to work for you. All I need is a place to live and a salary enough to eat.” The Maharaja appointed him as a Revenue Commissioner at a salary of 125 rupees ($80, 1933 price) per  month and Nazarbag Palace for his residence. Nazarbag palace was formerly occupied by Maharaja’s father until a new palace, Hawa Mahal, was built that was occupied by the current Maharaja. The palace had several acres of farm/garden, 24 hour running water, electricity, telephone, and a horse drawn carriage. [10   Kumarpal]

When he finished PhD, the University of Illinois offered him a job which he would not accept, because he wanted to work for the Maharaja of Palitana who had paid for his education. When Zaverbhai returned to India, he was approached with lucrative offers by the Nawab of Hyderabad, Maharaja of Gwalior, and Bhavnagar, which he respectfully declined. The Maharaja even gave him a recommendation letter if Zaverbhai wishes to work elsewhere anytime.  Zaverbhai never needed to use that letter [9 Maharaja].

[8     Khachar]

As a Revenue Commissioner Zaverbhai had discretionary powers afforded by the Maharaja who respected the loyalty and ethics of Zaverbhai. The State’s method of collecting revenues was based on farmers’ production  and some formula for minimum taxes. During a weak year Zaverbhai would collect nominal taxes or waive them entirely. This encouraged the farmers not to under- report their yield. Ultimately, by working together the State and the farmers both benefited.

Along with his duties as a Revenue Commissioner, he was experimenting with and developing high-yielding variety of bajra by crossing giant millet of Jamnagar and pearl millet of Africa.

His research work was on “Inheritance of some qualitative and quantitative characters in Indian bajra and African millet crosses with factors for yield and quality.” He did good deal of work on the chlorophyll inheritance in African millet and in some of its crosses with pearl millet. He also separated a few pure strains of African millet. [9    Maharaja]

Palitana State had fertile soil for sugarcane crops, but the sugar content was very low, and it took a long time to make jaggery from sugarcane. He developed a high sugar content variety by crossing two varieties brought from the Sugarcane Research Center in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu State.

He stayed with the Maharaja until the Maharaja surrendered his throne when India became an independent nation in 1947.

At that time the Maharaja gave properties to senior officers. Zaverbhai was given a house and a farm. He sold the farm for children’s education. After Zaverbhai passed away the house was sold, and the proceeds were donated to Gram Seva Trust which provides free services to the disadvantaged. [17  Gram]

== Working for the independent India’s newly formed Saurashtra State (1948 – 1958)==

He started as an Agricultural Research Officer and then as a Deputy Director of Agriculture.

Eminent writer, educationalist and founding member of Lokbharati, Manubhai Pancholi [3   Pancholi]  states in his Sanmanpatra of November 3, 1978 “At the formation of Saurashtra State in 1948, he was offered the positions of Deputy Collector, Principal of Agriculture College etc. Instead, he accepted the position as Research Officer. In 1949 he was transferred to Junagadh to develop the 800-acre Sagdi Vidi Farm. At Junagadh he developed a new variety of Juvar S-28 which ranked first in all India competition.” This farm is now Junagadh Agricultural University. [ 1    Sanmanpatra]

In 1955 Saurashtra State was merged into Bombay State. In 1957 he was transferred to Ahmedabad as the Deputy Director of Agriculture, Bombay State.

In 1958 he retired and moved back to Palitana and started his experiments on wheat.

In 1960, Bombay State bifurcated into Gujarat State and Maharashtra State. Original Saurashtra State became a part of the Gujarat State.

Wheat research in all his retirement life (1958 – 1989)

When he retired his interest was to devote the rest of his life to wheat research. He was offered a position as  Principal of an Agricultural College etc. He respectfully declined the offers because he wanted to devote his time fully to research and not to administration.

He started wheat experiments at his own expense renting private farms in the surrounding areas of Palitana, Bhutadia, Shihor, Ankolali and finally at Lokbharati Organization.    [18   Jantrania].   [ 19   Andharia].

https://ibb.co/q5fk60r (6 Farm)        ok

Lokbharati was founded in 1952 by Nanabhai Bhatt Nanabhai Bhatt (educationist) (1882 – 1961) and Manubhai Pancholi (1914 – 2001) both were educationalists and Indian independence activists. Lokbharati is in the village of Sanosara, approximately 3,000 population and 16 miles from Palitana. Lokbharati was founded as a rural institute for imparting rural higher education for rural villagers with medium of instructions in Gujarati language.   [18   Jantrania]

Zaverbhai knew Nanabhai well. Manubhai used to visit Zaverbhai at his house and discuss the wheat experiments. After repeated requests from Manubhai, Zaverbhai moved his research to Lokbharati in 1967. It was physically hard for Zaverbhai to commute to Lokbharati in a crowded public bus, quite often in a standing position. In 1976, after 9 years of commuting and doing experiments in Lokbharati, he finally came up with a wheat seed with unparalleled characteristics and ready for governmental testing. Many suggested naming his invention Zaver-1, but he was modest, he was doing it for the people, so he named it Lok-1 (Lok= people, common folks). [18    Jantrania]

Lok-1 wheat was sent to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for trials. After successful trials Lok-1 was accepted by ICAR and made a part of their wheat database. Dr. M. V. Rao, head of the Wheat Improvement Project, ICAR visited Lokbharati and was very much impressed with Lok-1.  [6   Rao] Also Dr. M. S. Swaminathan Director General, ICAR applauded this research of Lok-1. [ 18   Jantrania]

Zaverbhai used his house as his laboratory and stored numerous bags of wheat seeds everywhere. Having no scientific lab or facilities at his disposal he dedicated his house in Palitana for this purpose with the full support of his wife, Maniben. His wheat research was very involved and required meticulous work, that is segregating, counting, weighing, analyzing size etc. His tools were basic – a scientific scale, notebooks, ruler, pencils, blade for sharpening pencils, brown paper bags and twines. There were no computers, calculators, or typewriters. All mathematical work was done manually. All numbers were checked and rechecked by him. He was a stickler for accuracy, neatness, and quality in his work. With low-tech tools he did high-tech work at his home. [12   Inv Saga]  [10  Kumarpal]

https://ibb.co/Yjq8c75   (7  Home)     ok

It took Zaverbhai hours at home to review, analyze, assess, and record data. He would start after breakfast and work until bedtime. He would be so engrossed in his work that he would lose track of time for lunch and dinner. If there were guests or local visitors in the house, he would bring his paperwork into the inner courtyard and continue working at a slower pace while giving company to the visitors.(see 1985 photo). He had highly disciplined work habits. [12    Inv Saga]

Manubhai Pancholi writes “He was one of the rare researchers who did research spending his own money, even his pension money, for the benefit of the people. He travelled to and from Palitana to Lokbharati gladly enduring the hardship of a crowded public bus. He worked 12 hours in scorching sun picking wheat spikes, separating seeds carefully then counting, weighing, and classifying them.” [3    Pancholi]  

Dr. Jadon [7  Jadon] writes in 2011 “I decided to write my experiences with the development and release of the wheat variety Lok-1 which I consider a landmark achievement in the history of wheat breeding in India. Mexican wheat varieties have triggered the green revolution in India. Wheat varieties like Lok-1 have taken this green revolution further to ever green revolution and changed the status of the country from food importer to food exporter. Lok-1 is the only variety dominating cultivation even after three decades of its release.”

Lok-1 characteristics [7   Jadon][ 12   Inv Saga]:

Takes fewer days to mature (105 vs 110 to 115), thereby needing less watering.

Grains are large, attractive, uniform and do not shatter.

Leaves are narrow, green and permit proper light interception.

Spikes ripen simultaneously with uniform grain size.

Plants stay erect with strong stems and avoid lodging.

Plants do not lodge due to more water or fertilizer.

More synchronized tillers per unit area.

More tolerant to rust.

High protein content.

Maintain higher yield even with varied proportion of nitrogen and sowing time.

Food security and Lok-1 wheat   [7   Jadon].

India has largest area and production of wheat in the world.

Lok-1 has registered the highest quantity of seed production for the last more than two decades.

Lok-1 has the highest acreage of cultivation of any single variety.

Lok-1 is the only variety dominating cultivation even after three decades of its release.

Lok-1 has spread to many of those areas where it was never recommended.

Farmers can take more benefit of associated crops and varieties when grown with Lok-1 in different crop sequences because of its earliness and plasticity.

Lok-1 fetches a higher market price for bold seed and therefore is more profitable than other varieties.

Lok-1 yields significantly more than the next best variety of wheat fetching more than Rs. 1,000 crores (Rs. 10 billion) additional benefits to Indian farmers every year. [3]

Dr. M. V. Rao [6   Rao] writes:

“This is the only variety which significantly surpassed in yield of all the standard check varieties including the dwarf Mexican variety (Mexican variety was invented by Dr. Borlaug for which he was awarded Nobel Prize in 1970). When the Lok-1 variety came for discussion for release in 1979 the Nobel Laureate Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, who is the author of green revolution world over, was with me and watching with interest the discussions and arguments. Later he congratulated me and  the originator of Lok-1.”

As more and more farmers in India came to know about Lok-1, demand of its seed picked up. Lok-1 became very popular to the stage that it was in top demand. ICAR data for demand of breeder seeds show that starting from 2000 to 2004 demand for Lok-1 seed was number two and from 2004 to 2010 onwards it was in top demand. Lok-1 with yield more than 17% of the other varieties benefited the farmers by billions of rupees every year. [4   Tanna]  [12    Inv saga]

Zaverbhai passed away in 1989 so he was not able to see his mission fulfilled.

Visit to New Delhi, 1970

Zaverbhai’s wheat experiments were in progress when his son Ashokbhai from USA visited him in 1970. Lok-1, after 10 years of trials, was getting good results. Ashokbhai persuaded him to show his work to senior agricultural scientists in New Delhi. Zaverbhai reluctantly agreed and a meeting was arranged.

At that time Dr. Robert Glen Anderson PhD. (1924 – 1981) [ 20   Anderson] an eminent Canadian agricultural scientist was serving as head of the Rockefeller Foundation Wheat Program in New Delhi. This was a collaboration between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Rockefeller Foundation, and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico.  He played a major role in the green revolution. [12   Inv Saga],  In March 1963, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Mexican government sent Borlaug and Dr Robert Glenn Anderson to India to continue his work. Anderson stayed as head of the Rockefeller Foundation Wheat Program in New Delhi until 1975. [ 5  Borlaug]

When Zaverbhai came to the meeting, Dr. Anderson was present along with the senior scientist of ICAR. The meeting went very well. Dr. Anderson was very much impressed with Zaverbhai’s work and the way he carried out his experiments. Dr. Anderson suggested publishing his work and furthermore said that the work was of the level of Nobel Prize. Zaverbhai respectfully agreed but he never published his work or submitted it for any award. [12    Inv saga]

Visits to USA, 1973, 1984

All his children were well settled in the USA and were requesting him to settle in the USA or at least visit.

He didn’t want to give up his mission. So, he made only two short visits to the USA – 1973 and 1984. He was very much impressed with the progress of the USA. He brought his files with him. On the 1984 trip he visited his alma mater, University of Illinois, Urbana and had a meeting with the head of the agricultural department and other retired classmates. They were very much impressed with Lok-1 and particularly with the great effort of Zaverbhai under the limited facilities. [21  Pandya].

Temple in memory of the Maharaja

Zaverbhai was very grateful and never forgot the kindness of the Maharaja.

After India’s independence in 1947, Zaverbhai kept in touch with the Maharaja who passed away in 1964. Zaverbhai asked his children in the USA to send money so that he could buy a property and remodel it for use as a temple with a residence for a pujari (priest). This was done and the temple was dedicated and named after the Maharaja of Palitana in gratitude for supporting his education. The temple property was on a main road, so he had some shops built along the roadside. These shops generate enough rent that the temple does not require any donations for its normal operation. It became a self-supporting Hindu temple in a city full of Jain temples.   [12      inv saga]

Khadi and loyalty to India.

Once Zaverbhai returned from the USA, in 1933, he gave up all his western clothes and adopted kadi and followed the philosophy behind it for the rest of his life. Khadi is a type of pure cotton fabric entirely made by hand spinning threads from cotton and then weaving it into clothes. This is a cottage industry. Khadi is a symbol of India’s independence movement- it is a symbol of nationalism and self-reliance advanced by Mahatma Gandhi. Wearing khadi was considered politically not correct by Maharaja’s employees, it indirectly meant that their employer, the Maharaja, would have to give up his throne. Zaverbhai was quite candid and upfront with the Maharaja; khadi was a statement against the Britishers, who ruled India and not against the Maharaja. There was a good understanding between him and the Maharaja. His loyalty to the Maharaja was unwavering.

Zaverbhai chose Germany and not UK for further studies. He did not want to study in a country that ruled India.

On the way to Germany his steamer stopped in the UK. He stayed on the steamer and did not put his foot on the British soil. [12     inv saga ] [13 Kanwar]

Honora, awards, lectures, articles, and books.

Zaverbhai’s invented Lok-1 wheat significantly surpassed [6   Rao] in yield of all the standard check varieties including the Dwarf Mexican Varieties invented by Dr. Borlaug for which he was awarded Nobel Prize. Lok-1 has benefitted Indian farmers by more than billion rupees every year. He was very modest; he never published any article about his great invention or made any presentation to any technical conference. He never submitted his work for any awards or sought any publicity.

India’s highest award is Bharat Ratna (meaning Jewel of India) followed by Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri. Bharat Ratna was introduced in the year 1954. It is given to maximum 3 Indian or non-Indian every year. The award is also given posthumously. The winners are recommended to the President by India's Prime Minister.

Zaverbhai never received any awards while he was alive or posthumously.

In 1978, Lokbharati honored him with Sanmanpatra, and in 2014 India’s Directorate of Wheat Research Included him in the list of 15 Eminent Wheat Scientists of India. [1     Sanman,]  [ 2 ---15 Scientists]

https://ibb.co/dQGRc7W   (15 scientists)

He was a true jewel of India.

22 years after his death a short biography was published, and many complimentary articles were also published. [12   inv saga]]

Death

Zaverbhai passed away, at age 85, on March 23, 1989.

He suffered a heart attack in Lokbharati wheat farm, under the hot sun. He was admitted to Ahmedabad hospital. All his 9 children from the USA came. While in the hospital he had another heart attack. He decided to move back to Palitana to the homecare of his son, Dr. Bharatbhai, and visiting nurses.

A few days after, he passed away peacefully at 5am on March 23, 1989, when his wife and all 9 children were at his bedside, praying and holding his hands.

His wife Maniben (born January 19, 1910) passed away, at age 85, on April 9, 1995, in Connecticut, USA. [12   inv saga]

Post death articles and books

Manubhai Pancholi  had written several articles about Zaverbhai. Upon the news of Zaverbhai’s death, his article was published in Gujarati newspaper, Fulchhab on March 31, 1989. He summarizes “Humanities greatest problem is food. So, it is said that hungry humans may do anything to survive. People who are working to eliminate hunger are angels. Dr. Zaverbhai was such an angel- an angel with a bleeding heart for people. Government of Gujarat routinely honors half-baked people like me; however, the government’s lack of realization to honor him and show the gratitude gives me lingering pain.” [3    Pancholi]

Mansukhbhai Salla a well-known Gujarati writer published an article soon after Zaverbhai’s death. He writes in Navneet Samarpan, May 1989 “He was the son of the earth who worshiped the earth like a true child, and by serving it he became servile. It is from this that his inner jewel blossomed. A person who performs this karma as a sacrifice has a brightness of dedication in his karma. A person performing such a yagna has to sacrifice his strength, desire, aspiration, comfort and convenience to keep this yagna burning till the last moment of his life. And without keeping this yagna burning they are not comfortable. This is a life whose glory is felt all-around. Say this is a saintly endeavor. Dr. Zaverbhai was such a sage of the modern era.” [ 22  Salla ]

Manubhai Pancholi’s article about Zaverbhai was included in the 2004 edition of the 12^th grade textbook.

On March 21, 2012, then Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, wrote in Gujarati  “Zaverbhai’s unique and priceless revolutionary contribution in research work in wheat-sprout farming is a hallmark of the global campus. Dr. Zaverbhai’s Lok-1 is a matter of great pride for the Gujarat State.” [12    inv saga]

Zaverbhai’s biography:

In 2008 Balvantbhai Patel (1932 – 2018), a retired Superintending Engineer and a writer, came across an article by Manubhai Pancholi about Zaverbhai. He was very impressed by the humanitarian work of Zaverbhai.

In 2011, after two years of thorough research, he with his co-author, Jayantibhai Mevada (1935 – 2017), retired Deputy Engineer published a short biography of Zaverbhai entitled Sanshodhan Gatha, meaning story of invention. They spent their time for no personal gain but to inform and inspire. [ 23   SGatha}

In 2013, Sanshodhan Gatha was translated in English, entitled “Invention Saga”, by Dr. Janakbhai B. Shah PhD. writer, academician, professor, honorary principal, and a scholar. He spent his time for no personal gain but to inform and inspire. [12   Inv Saga ]

In 2014, Invention Saga was translated in Hindi, entitled “Anusandhan Gatha”, by Dr. Rambir Singh Kanwar (1961 – 2022) with co-author Sugandha Kanwar. Dr. Kanwar was an agricultural scientist, professor, and a researcher. They spent their time for no personal gai. [24 Kanwar]

Further Reading

Natwar Hedau “It can be simply said that Dr. Zaverbhai H. Patel was more of a savior of the farmers than increased wheat production”, Gandhinagar Samachar, April 16, 2012.