Nehru emerged as a central figure in India’s independence struggle, leading key movements
As India’s first Prime Minister, he navigated Partition challenges, prompted scientific progress, and established key educational institutions.
Nehru’s non-alignment policy and Panchsheel principles shaped India’s global identity
Jawaharlal Nehru, born on November 14, 1889, in Allahabad, remains one of the most influential architects of modern India. After studying at Harrow, Trinity College, Cambridge, and the Inner Temple in London, he returned to India in 1912 as a young barrister. But his future career soon changed when he realised that the law was never where his heart truly lay. Drawn to global struggles against colonial rule, Nehru quickly understood that his real purpose was tied to India’s fight for freedom. His meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in 1916 changed the course of his life, anchoring him firmly in the path of non-violent resistance.
Nehru rose rapidly within the Indian National Congress, becoming one of its most dynamic voices. He organised the first Kisan March in Uttar Pradesh in 1920, joined the Non-Cooperation Movement, and was imprisoned twice because of it. He was imprisoned again during later civil disobedience campaigns. As President of the landmark Lahore Congress Session in 1929, he stood before the nation and declared complete independence—Purna Swaraj—as India’s ultimate goal. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Nehru became a guiding force of the freedom movement, shaping both its strategies and its global outlook.
When India finally gained independence on August 15, 1947, Nehru stepped into the role of the country’s first Prime Minister during one of the most turbulent moments in history. Partition violence, food shortages, a fragile economy, and the task of uniting a deeply diverse nation lay before him. Yet he approached these challenges with a clear and hopeful vision rooted in democracy, secularism, scientific progress, and inclusive nation-building. Under his leadership, India set up the IITs, national research centres, and major public sector industries that would define its economic and scientific momentum for decades.
Nehru also shaped India’s identity on the world stage. In a world split by the Cold War, he championed non-alignment, ensuring India remained independent in its decisions. His ideas on peaceful coexistence, expressed through the Panchsheel principles, earned India respect among newly independent nations across Asia and Africa. Although the 1962 conflict with China was a painful setback for him, the foundations he laid for India’s foreign policy continued to guide the nation long after.
Nehru always thought of how India could embark on an ambitious economic, social, and political reform programme. He strengthened India’s electoral system, Parliament, judiciary, and democratic institutions with remarkable dedication. His commitment to secularism was equally unwavering. During the tense days following Partition, he worked to protect the rights and safety of all communities, often personally intervening to prevent violence.
To children, he was “Chacha Nehru”—a name that reflected his warmth and deep affection for the youngest citizens of the country. He believed that a nation’s future rested in the hands of its children, which is why his birthday, November 14, is celebrated as Children’s Day across India.
Jawaharlal Nehru passed away on May 27, 1964, after serving as Prime Minister for sixteen years. His legacy lives on in the institutions he built, the values he nurtured, and the vision of a democratic, pluralistic, forward-looking India that continues to inspire generations. On his birth anniversary, he is remembered not just as India’s first Prime Minister but as one of the leaders who laid the foundation of modern India. [Rh]