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| India's First Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru |
“Children are like buds in a garden and should be carefully
nurtured, as they are the future of the nation and the citizens of tomorrow.”
–Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister after independence.
Every year the 14th of November is celebrated as
“Children’s Day,” as it is the birthday of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru whose love
for children is legendary. Fondly
known as Chacha Nehru (Uncle Nehru), the first Prime Minister of India was
worked with fervently for the education and well-being of children, whom he
considered the bright future of his beloved nation, India.
Today as Grace and Alexander entered school, every teacher,
every didi, every administrator greeted them warmly with, “Happy Children’s
Day, this is your day.” The kids
were asked to dress in their nicest clothes. Because most of our belongings are still somewhere over the
Indian ocean (I hope), or perhaps the Atlantic, we do not have their nicest
clothes. So Alexander wore his new
traditional Indian clothes, and Grace wore a dress she chose this weekend. Balu and Sushil, upon seeing Alexander
this morning, kissed his hands and told him he was Indian.
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| You know when they're tired, they need their bunnies. |
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| When they're nervous or uncomfortable with a situation, they get silly. |
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| When they're really out of sorts, they cling to each other. They are so lucky to have each other. |
Nehru-A Very Brief History
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| Nehru and Gandhi in 1942 |
As a leader of the Congress in 1929, Nehru declared his aims
for the Indian nation under his leadership. He called for freedom of religion, freedom of expression and
thought, equality before the law for everyone regardless of caste, religion,
color or creed, safeguarding the interests of peasants and labor, abolishment
of untouchability, protection for regional languages and cultures, and the
right to form associations, among others.
From his second term in the Congress onwards, he was given carte blanche
in framing the foreign policy of the future India. During a time when the world was under dire threat of
facism, Nehru developed good relationships all over the world, placing India
firmly on the side of democracy.
In 1936, Nehru visited Europe and developed a strong interest
in Marxism. He then studied
Marxism on his various imprisonments.
Nehru was drawn to the ideals of Marxism, but appalled by some of it’s
methods, allowing him to develop his economic ideals adapting Marxism to Indian
conditions. As a strong nationalist,
Nehru always stressed commonality of Indians while appreciating regional
diversities.
At the start of World War II, Nehru originally supported
Britain under conditions of independence after the war. In October of 1940, Nehru and Gandhi
decided to instead launch a limited civil disobedience campaign. Nehru was sentenced to 4 years in
prison and was released three days before the bombing of Pearl Habor in Hawaii.
Many today love Nehru most for his social policies. He believed education for India’s children
and youth was essential for India’s future progress, and was a passionate
advocate of education all. His
government oversaw the establishment of many institutions of higher learning. He sought to guarantee free and
compulsory primary education to all of India’s children. To accomplish this, he oversaw the
creation of mass village enrollment programs and the construction of thousands
of schools.. Nehru launched
initiatives for free milk and meals to children to fight malnutrition. In rural areas, adult education
centers, vocational and technical schools were formed. Under Nehru, the Indian Parliament
criminalized caste discrimination and increased the legal rights and social
freedoms of women. Nehru also
championed religious harmony and secularism, increasing the representation of
minorities in government. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawaharlal_Nehru)
Nehru’s inaugural speech given when he became Prime Minister
of India upon independence seems a great respresentation of who he was as a man
and a leader:
"Long
years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall
redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At
the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to
life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we
step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a
nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn
moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people
and to the still larger cause of humanity." (Wikipedia, Jawaharlal Nehru)
One year later, Mahatma Gandhi, affectionately known a Bapu
Gandhi, was assassinated. Nehru
addressed the nation:
“Friends
and comrades, the light has gone out of our lives,
and there is darkness everywhere, and I do not quite know what to tell you or
how to say it. Our beloved leader, Bapu as we called him, the father of the
nation, is no more. Perhaps I am wrong to say that; nevertheless, we will not
see him again, as we have seen him for these many years, we will not run to him
for advice or seek solace from him, and that is a terrible blow, not only for
me, but for millions and millions in this country.” (Wikipedia, Jawaharlal
Nehru)
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| Nehru with daughter Indira and his two grandsons, Rajiv and Sanjay |
Nehru’s only daughter was Indira Gandhi, the fourth Prime Minister of India and the only female Prime Minister. Indira Gandhi was PM from 1966-1977, then again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984. She was the second longest serving Prime Minister after her father. In 1976, Indira Gandhi was able to fulfill her father’s dream of making India officially a “socialist” and “secular” nation by the 42nd amendment of the Indian constitution.
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