Introduction
The first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, played a pivotal role in shaping the India after the independence from Britishers. He served as a Prime Minister from 1946 until his death in 1964, Jawaharlal Nehru also known as Architect of Modern India, he laid the foundation of secure, modern and socialist-leaning India.
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| Image by Sambeet D from Pixabay |
| Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964) | |
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Name: Jawaharlal Nehru Term of Office: 1947-1964 Birth: 14 November 1889 Death: 27 May 1964 (at the age of 74) Political Party: Indian National Congress Spouse: Kamala Kaul Parents: Motilal Nehru and Swarup Rani Nehru Education: Harrow School, Trinity College, Cambridge and Inner Temple, London |
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Early Life and Education
Born on 14th November 1889, in Allahabad in British India. His father, Motilal Nehru from Kashmiri Pandit community was also a barrister, served as a President of the Indian National Congress twice in 1919 and 1928. Jawaharlal Nehru's mother Swarup Rani who is from Kashmiri Brahmin family settled in Lahore, British India. In childhood, he started education at home by private tutors and governesses. After that He went to Harrow school, which was the leading school in England for institutional schooling. In October 1907, Nehru went to Trinity College, Cambridge and graduated in 1910 with the honors degree in Natural Science. After that he moved to Inner temple, London to study Law md he was called to bar in 1912. His exposure to liberal ideologies and Western education significantly influenced his political vision and beliefs for India.
Political Journey
Jawaharlal Nehru returned to India in 1912 and soon he involved in the INC (Indian National Congress). He became an integral part of Indian independence movement under the mentorship of Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders and he emerged as a key leader in the independence movement. Nehru's writing and speeches galvanized the people and his vision for a independent India and secular India resonated with many. He was instrumented in forming the policies that led to India's freedom or independence in 1947.
Prime Ministerial Tenure
Nehru was sworn in as the Prime Minister of India after gained independence on 15 August 1947. His leadership during the nascent stages of the newly formed nation was crucial. Some of the significant achievements of Jawaharlal Nehru as Prime Minister are mentioned below:
Industrialization and Economic Planning:
Pandit Nehru initiated the plan for five years to industrialized India and reduce the unemployment and poverty of Indian people. His focus on good infrastructure and heavy industries aimed to make India self-sufficient. Nehru envisioned India as a socialist, secular and democratic republic nation. He believed that science and technology were most important for India's development.
Education and Scientific Advancement:
His belief in science and technology leads to establishment is numerous institutions of higher learnings like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
Non-Alignment Policy:
Nehru's foreign policy was characterized by the principle of Non-aligned movement, which meant not formally aligning with either the Soviet Union or the United States during the Cold War. He was a co-founder of the NAM (Non-Aligned Movement), which provided a platform for the nation's which are newly independent to voice their concerns and maintain their sovereignty amidst the superpower rivalry.
Initiatives in the Agricultural:
Major Challenges
Nehru faced several challenges, including:
Partition and Its Aftermath:
India - Pakistan partition after independence from British Raj in 1947 is one of the most daunting challenges Jawaharlal Nehru faced as the first Prime Minister of India. This India - Pakistan partition led to one of the largest mass migration in human history, with millions of Hindus and Sikhs migrating to India and millions of Muslims migrated to Pakistan. This period was marked by widespread communal violence, which resulting in significant loss of life and property. Jawaharlal Nehru had to address as a Prime Minister to the immediate humanitarian crisis, restore law and order, and resettle refugees. His leadership during this critical time involved making difficult decisions to ensure stability, and rebuilt a fractured nation.
Sino-Indian War:
India fought a brief but intense war with China in year 1962 which is known as Sino-Indian War, this war is happened over border disputes in the Himalayan region particularly in Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin. The Indian military was not well prepared and India lost the war because of strategic miscalculations. This defeat was a big embarrassment for Prime Minister Nehru and his government. This showed that India's defense system was weak and needed to be stronger. The defeat was hard for Jawaharlal Nehru, affecting his political standing and personal health and casting shadow over his achievements in national defense and foreign policies.
Unifying a diverse country:
India is a country with many religions, cultures, languages nd ethnic groups. Jawaharlal Nehru has the challenge of uniting this diverse nation. He believed in secularism, meaning that the government should treat all religions equally, by doing this the religious conflicts can be prevented. He also supported organizing states based on the language which people spoke in different regions of India. Which helped respect religion identities. Nehru's policies aimed to create a sense of national unity and peace while respecting India's diversity.
Setting up new government structure:
The huge task for Nehru was that, he had to form a new government for independent India. He helped constitution assembly to create the constitution of India, which set up a democratic system with elections and rights for all Indian citizens. Nehru also established important institutions like the election commission to ensure the fair elections across country and the planning commission to develop the economy of the India. He worked on balancing power between state governments and central government, creating a stable democratic system for India.
Legacy
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India left an indelible mark on India with his vision and policies. He is remembered for his secularism, commitment to democracy, and scientific temper. November 14, his birthday is celebrated as Children's Day in India, to remember him and his honor his affection for children.
Conclusion
Jawaharlal Nehru's contribution to India is most important and extend beyond his time of office. As the architect of modern India, his legacy continues to influence the India's socio-economic landscape and its position on the global stage.
Disclaimer
The information posted on this blog about former Prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru is based on the historical sources and publicly available information on the different websites on internet. While every effort has been made to provide the right information and to ensure accuracy, the interpretations and perspective shared are those of the author. Readers are encouraged to cross-reference with other sources and form their own conclusion and decisions. The blog article intended for educational and informational purpose only and does not reflect the official stance of any private or public organization and government.
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