Biographies

Being the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru was one important example of a person who influenced India a lot since its independence. He also influenced the whole world with his ideas of secularism and peace. Jawaharlal’s accomplishments affected the world in a very good way. Did you know that he believed that children were the base of society? Even though many people do not know about him, he is still a person worth talking about as Jawaharlal changed the lives of more than a billion people in India but also many more people across the globe.

Jawaharlal was born to a family that was well known all across India on November 14, 1889. His father, Motilal Nehru, was a prominent lawyer and close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. He was also Congress President two times. He was tutored by English tutors until the age of 16. Only one of his tutors, Ferdinand Brooks, seems to have made an impression on Jawaharlal. He also learned Hindi and Sanskrit. In 1905, he went to Harrow in England for three years. After that, he went to Trinity College, Cambridge for three years to study natural science. When he left Cambridge, he went to the Inner Temple in London for two years. When he graduated, he qualified to be a barrister. His academic career “was in no way outstanding” (Britannica). When he went back to India, he said that “I have become a queer mixture of East and West, out of place everywhere, at home nowhere” (Britannica). Four years after his return, in 1916, he married Kamala Kaul. In 1917, his first and only child, Indira, was born.

Jawaharlal is widely known for improving independent India. He promoted better education and more infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, hospitals, and schools. These accomplishments helped to modernize India. He also promoted trade and secularism to create an unbiased government. He maintained India’s land and managed to make Goa part of India again. He promoted unity, too. Even though Jawaharlal was a political leader, he was quite a nice person. In fact, he loved all children. This is why November 14 is celebrated not only as his birthday but also as Children’s Day in India. Jawaharlal even said once that he believed that "the children of today will make the India of tomorrow. The way we bring them up will determine the future of the country." He also thought children were the foundation of society. Many Indian children refer to him as “Chacha Nehru”, which means Uncle Nehru. Children’s Day is a celebration of children, and it is meant to raise awareness about the welfare of children throughout India.

Sadly, Jawaharlal died on May 27, 1964 but his family still continues to be actively involved in politics. Jawaharlal’s family became very prominent after he became the first Prime Minister, and many of them went into politics. For example, his daughter Indira was the 3rd Prime Minister of India. Her husband Feroze Gandhi, was also a politician and was part of the Lok Sabha, which is the Lower House of the Indian Parliament. Their two sons were also politicians. Sanjay Gandhi, the youngest, was part of the Lok Sabha, and Rajiv Gandhi, the eldest, was the 6th Prime Minister. The two brothers’ children are also politicians. Two are part of the Lok Sabha and one is a prominent politician part of the Indian National Congress. Jawaharlal’s family has had a huge impact on Indian politics and the country itself. They have shaped modern India into what it is now and helped India become a thriving country.

Jawaharlal changed India in many ways, and he has a legacy that will last for generations to come. One of the most important things that he promoted is the idea of secularism. This means that India would not be a Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, or Islamic state, and will instead be a country with no main religion. This ideology would prevent tensions between religions and make India fairer. To this day, India remains a secular country. Additionally, Jawaharlal promoted democracy and made sure that everyone was heard. He promoted the use of science and technology in India as well, and that helped shape Indian into a modern nation.

Jawaharlal had a huge impact on India and the future generations of Indians. His ideas of secularism have created a freer society, although there is still a lot of tension between religions. Jawaharlal's family has helped India become even better using his ideas. His beliefs will improve India in the future. His support of children will help students have a more sophisticated education. Jawaharlal’s ideas of unity will make sure everyone does their part to help make India’s future brighter.

Sources:
Moraes, F. R. (2022, May 23). Jawaharlal Nehru. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jawaharlal-Nehru