Bhulabhai Desai was an Indian freedom fighter and acclaimed lawyer. He is well-remembered for his defense of the three Indian National Army soldiers accused of treason during World War II, and for attempting to negotiate a secret power-sharing agreement with Liaquat Ali Khan of the Muslim League.
Background
Bhulabhai Desai was born in Valsad, Gujarat. Initially schooled by his maternal uncle, Bhulabhai further studied at the Avabai School in Valsad and the Bharda High School in Bombay, from where he matriculated in 1895, standing first in his school. He married Ichchhaben while still in school. They had one son, Dhirubhai, but Ichchhabhen died of cancer in 1923. He then joined the Elphinstone College in Bombay from where he graduated in high standing in English literature and history. He won the Wordsworth Prize and a scholarship for standing first in History and Political Economy. He did his M.A. in English from the University of Bombay. Bhulabhai was appointed Professor of English and History in the Gujarat College, Ahmedabad. While teaching he also studied law. Desai enrolled as an advocate at the Bombay High Court in 1905, and became one of the city's and later the nation's leading lawyers.
Education
His initial years of schooling started at home in Valsad. It was only in the secondary years that he was sent for studies at the Avabai School in Valsad and later to the Bharada High School in Bombay, from where he completed his matriculation, with the highest marks in the batch of 1895.
After school, Bhulabhai Desai enrolled at the Elphinestone College in Bombay with English Literature and History as his major subjects of study. He not only graduated successfully with English Literature and History, but also secured the highest score in History and Political Economy. Bhulabhai Desai was awarded the Wordsworth Prize and a scholarship for his outstanding performance by authorities of Elphinstone College. Bhulabhai Desai then went on to complete his M.A. in English from the University of Bombay.
Career
After competing his studies from the University of Bombay, Bhulabhai Desai returned to Gujarat to join as a professor of English and History in the Gujarat College, located in Ahmedabad. While he was a teacher, Bhulabhai Desai spent his free time studying law. After the completion of studies in law, Bhulabhai Desai quit his position at the Gujarat College to join as an advocate at the Bombay High Court in the year 1905. Bhulabhai Desai went on to become one of the most celebrated lawyers of Bombay city and India as a whole.