Jawaharlal Nehru

Jawaharlal Nehru (14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian independence activist and the first Prime Minister of India, serving from 1947 until his death in 1964. He is considered the architect of modern India and was a central figure in Indian politics before and after independence. Born in Allahabad (now Prayagraj), Uttar Pradesh, Nehru came from a wealthy Kashmiri Brahmin family. He was educated at Harrow, Cambridge, and the Inner Temple in London, where he qualified as a barrister. Returning to India, he joined the Indian National Congress and became a key protégé of Mahatma Gandhi. Nehru was instrumental in India's freedom struggle, participating in all major movements including the Non-Cooperation Movement, Salt March, and Quit India Movement. He was imprisoned by the British multiple times. After independence, he became India's first Prime Minister and served for 17 years — the longest-serving PM in Indian history. As Prime Minister, Nehru laid the foundation of modern India. He established democratic institutions, the Planning Commission, and a mixed economy model. He championed science and technology, founding institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). His non-aligned foreign policy during the Cold War positioned India as a leader of the Third World. His birthday, 14 November, is celebrated as Children's Day in India. His books "The Discovery of India," "Glimpses of World History," and "An Autobiography" remain widely read. Despite criticism of some of his policies, Nehru's vision of a democratic, secular, and modern India continues to shape the nation.