Jawaharlal Nehru was born on November 14, 1889, and this day is also observed as Children’s Day in India. Do you know that Nehru was nominated for the Nobel Prize 11 times? Read on to learn more interesting facts about India’s First Prime Minister.
Children’s Day is observed on the birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru (Photo credit: Bettmann/Getty Images)
New Delhi: Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, was born on November 14, 1889, in Allahabad, British India. Nehru is popularly known as Chacha Nehru because of his affection for children. He believed that today’s children are the architects of tomorrow’s India. His birth anniversary is also observed as Children’s Day in India. On the birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, let us look at some interesting facts to know about him.
Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Anniversary 2024: Interesting facts to know about the first Prime Minister of India
- Jawaharlal Nehru earned an Honours degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge’s Trinity College in 1910.
- Before he immersed himself in India’s freedom struggle, Nehru was trained to be an advocate like his father, Motilal Nehru. In 1910, he even enrolled at the Allahabad High Court after graduating from Trinity College.
- Nehru was a socialist by belief. His ideologies were mostly inspired by the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and his visit to the USSR in 1927.
- Nehru’s longest and last detention was on August 8, 1942, when he was arrested along with other leaders and was taken to Ahmednagar Fort. In all, he was imprisoned nine times.
- In September 1923, he became the All India Congress Committee General Secretary.
- Jawaharlal Nehru was the first to propose complete national Independence from the British Empire in 1927.
- In 1916, Pandit Nehru joined the Home Rule League and showed his commitment to India’s freedom struggle.
- Nehru wrote his autobiography “Toward Freedom” during his imprisonment from June 1934 to February 1935. The book was published in London in 1936.
- Nehru decided to ditch Western attire and instead opted for the Nehru Jacket, which became an iconic symbol during India’s struggle for Independence.
- The title ‘Pandit’ does not refer to Nehru’s scholarly achievements but because he is a Kashmiri Pandit.
- During his tenure as the Prime Minister of India, Pandit Nehru faced assassination attempts four times. The first one happened during the time of India’s partition in 1947.
- His two iconic books, The Discovery of India and Glimpses of World History showcase his vast knowledge of India and the world. The latter is a compilation of 146 letters he wrote to his daughter, Indira Gandhi.
- From 1950 to 1955, Nehru was nominated 11 times for the Nobel Prize for his efforts to promote peace globally, but he never won the prize.
- When Jawaharlal Nehru died in 1964, over 1.5 million people attended his cremation.
Why Jawaharlal Nehru is called “Chacha Nehru”?
There are two main reasons why Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru is called ‘Chacha’ Nehru. The first reason is his love for children. The second reason relates to his close friendship with Mahatma Gandhi. He had a strong bond with Gandhi and followed his teachings of nonviolence.
Many respected Nehru as a skilled politician. Some people think he got the nickname ‘Chacha’ because he was like a younger brother to Gandhi, who was affectionately called ‘Bapu,’ meaning father. Since ‘Chacha’ means the younger brother of one’s father, it made sense to see Nehru as Gandhi’s younger brother.
However, most people believe the nickname ‘Chacha’ came from his love for children. Nehru treated kids with kindness and warmth, making him a favourite.
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