Jawaharlal Nehru: The Visionary Leader of India

1. Early Life and Education

• Jawaharlal Nehru was born on November 14, 1889, into a prosperous Kashmiri Brahmin family in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh.
• His father, Motilal Nehru, was a distinguished lawyer and influential politician.

2. Education in England

• Nehru pursued higher education in England, attending Harrow school and later Cambridge University.
• He completed his legal studies at the Inner Temple, London, qualifying as a barrister.

3. Influence of Ideas

• While in London, Nehru was captivated by the ideas of liberalism, socialism, and nationalism.

4. Return to India

• In 1912, he returned to India and joined the Allahabad High Court Bar.
• His journey from London had a profound impact on his political ideology.

5. Congress and "Swaraj"

• In 1916, Nehru participated in the Lucknow Session of the Indian National Congress, where both moderate and extremist factions united in their call for "swaraj" (self-rule).
• This marked a pivotal moment in the struggle for India's independence.

6. Imprisonment and Gandhi's Influence

• In 1921, Nehru was jailed as part of the civil disobedience campaign led by Mahatma Gandhi.
• His time in prison allowed him to understand Gandhi's philosophy and commitment to addressing social issues like caste discrimination and "untouchability."

7. Staying with Congress

• In 1922, several prominent leaders, including his father Motilal Nehru, left the Congress to form the "Swaraj Party."
• However, Jawaharlal chose to remain with the Congress, despite the split.

8. Leadership Roles

• Nehru was elected as the president of the Allahabad Municipal Corporation in 1920, marking his early leadership in local governance.

9. International Exposure

• In 1926, he traveled to Europe, visiting nations like Germany, France, and the Soviet Union.
• This journey exposed him to various socialist and radical leaders from Asia and Africa.

10. Influence of Soviet Union

• Nehru was impressed by the economic system of the communist Soviet Union and envisioned similar principles for India's development.

11. International Engagement

• In 1927, he became a member of the League against Imperialism in Brussels, Belgium.

12. Accelerating Independence

• In 1928, during the Guwahati Session, Mahatma Gandhi declared that if the British didn't grant dominion status to India within a year, a massive movement would be launched.
• Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose were believed to have influenced the reduced deadline from two years to one.

13. The Nehru Report

• Nehru criticized the "Nehru Report" prepared by his father in 1928, which advocated for "dominion status" within the British rule.

14. Leadership and Arrest

• In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi endorsed Nehru as the next president of the Congress, aiming to counter the growing influence of communism.
• The same year, Nehru was arrested for violating the Salt Law during the Salt March.

15. Continued Leadership

• In 1936, Nehru was re-elected as the president of the Indian National Congress.

16. Prime Minister of Independent India

• On August 15, 1947, India achieved independence from British rule, with Nehru serving as the nation's first Prime Minister.

17. Economic Planning

• In 1951, Nehru initiated India's "First Five-Year Plan" with a focus on boosting agricultural output and economic development.

18. Domestic and International Policies

• Nehru played a central role in shaping India's domestic and international policies between 1947 and 1964.

19. Non-Alignment and NAM

• Nehru was instrumental in establishing India's role in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
• He advocated the policy of non-alignment during the Cold War, keeping India neutral during the global power struggle.

20. Passing of a Visionary Leader

• In 1964, Jawaharlal Nehru suffered a stroke and heart attack, ultimately passing away on May 27, 1964.
• His legacy remains integral to India's history and independence.

21. Final Resting Place

• Nehru was cremated at Shantivana on the banks of the Yamuna River in Delhi.