We explain to you who Nehru Jawaharlal was and how he fought for the independence of India. Also, his role as prime minister and his link with Mahatma Gandhi.
Who was Nehru Jawaharlal?
Nehru Jawaharlal (1889-1964) was a Indian nationalist militant who He defended lay and progressive positions. He militated in the Congress party and was a key actor in the India Independence process. He was Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Indian Union from its independence in 1947 until his death.
During his government, Jawarhalal sought the consolidation of the country's autonomy under the ideals of democracy, socialism, unity and secularism. On the other hand, he sought national economic development through modernization, technology and science.
Since he met Mahatma Gandhi in 1916, not yet sharing his idealism, he followed him in all his great struggles against British domination. Between 1930 and 1950, he was imprisoned by the British authorities nine times, due to his activism and political militancy. In addition, Nehru was the father of Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India (1966-1977 and 1980-1984).
Nehru Jawaharlal's private life
Nehru Jawaharlal was born on November 14, 1889 in the city of Allahabad (today known as Prayagraj), in the north of the current India. His father, Motilal Nehru, was a Hindu Brahman, a political activist and leader of the Indian National Congress (one of the most important political parties in India, founded in 1885).
Nehru's younger sister Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, also dedicated his life to the politics and independence of India, and became the first woman to be part of the government in Independent India .
When he was little, he was educated at home by his family and different English governesses and teachers. In 1905, his father sent him to study at Harrow School and then to Trinity College in Cambridge, in the United Kingdom, so he had a European -style upper class education . When he returned to India in 1912, he worked as a lawyer.
Four years later, he married Kamala Kaul and in 1917 they had a daughter, which they called Indira Priyadarshini. Her daughter, who, when married, took the name Indira Gandhi (her fierce husband Gandhi had no relationship with leader Mahatma Gandhi), dedicated himself to the political career as her father, and educated in the same way to her son, Rajiv Gandhi.
Indira was the first woman she worked as Prime Minister of India . He held that position for fifteen years (adding the different mandates), led the Congress party and had several ministries. Nehru Jawarhal died 74 years of a heart attack in 1964, being Prime Minister of the Republic of India.
Political life of Nehru Jawaharlal
Movement for India Independence
Since 1916, Nehru began to participate in different political acts already military for the independence of India . In 1919, he entered the Congress Party, the first Indian nationalist movement. The public demonstrations of the movement were frequently repressed and activists had to hide from the authorities. Because of its activism, Nehru was imprisoned by the British police nine times .
In his political ascent within the Congress party, he went from being elected as Secretary General in 1923 and 1928, to then be elected president of the organization, in 1929. Within the broad spectrum of militancy for Indian autonomy, Nehru was especially supported by intellectuals and nationalist youth.
He did not share with Gandhi the aspirations of chastity, but over time they worked together and respected their different approaches. For the 1930s, Nehru was seen as Mahatma Gandhi's natural political heir . Nehru participated in the different civil disobedience initiatives promoted by Gandhi as peaceful public demonstrations.
In the context of World War II, the attitude of the British authorities against nationalist movements was moderated and began offering some concessions regarding the autonomy of the country. However, the nationalists aligned with Gandhi and Nehru did not want to accept anything that was not the real independence of India.
They continued with their activism and carried out the initiative Bharat Chhodo Andoolan (Name that in Hindi means “abandon India”), taking advantage of British fear of Japanese advance on Burma's borders.
The Congress party declared that the British authorities had to retire and promoted a series of peaceful demonstrations in various parts of the country . Consequently, the authorities responded with a massive repression and the imprisonment of the leaders.
However, with the evolution of the war, the British forces were limited and, over time, they had to accept the beginning of the negotiations for the independence of the country. In August 1946, when London accepted the principle of independence of India a provisional government formed. Nehru was part of the first Hindu government.
Government as Prime Minister of India
After the proclamation of independence on August 15, 1947, Nehru was elected Prime Minister of India . He held this position until his death, in 1964.
Nehru understood that India was a country with enormous ethnic, religious and cultural diversity and therefore argued that there were Four pillars that were fundamental for the good development of the country: democracy, socialism, unity and secularism . He also argued that modernization, scientific advancement and technology were essential elements for the future of the national economy.
Internationally, Nehru promoted neutralism during the Cold War and was one of the key leaders of the Bandung Conference (1955) and the formation of the movement of the countries not aligned in Belgrade (1961). After a brief conflict with China on the border of Tibet in 1962 in which India was defeated, Nehru sought in recent times of his life the diplomatic and economic, Soviet and North American support against the Beijing regime.
Last days and death of Nehru Jawaharlal
By 1962, Nehru Jawaharlal's health began to deteriorate. However, he continued working and exercising his functions as Prime Minister of India. In 1963, he had a first heart attack and, in January 1964, a second.
Finally, on May 27, 1964, Nehru Jawaharlal died of a third heart attack in his residence, in New Delhi at the age of 74. He still served as Prime Minister. The next day, the State carried out a public funeral and, at the request of Nehru, its ashes were scattered throughout India.
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References
- Moraes, Frank R. “Jawaharlal Nehru”. Encyclopedia Britannica, May 23, 2023, https://www.britannica.com/
- Palmowski, J. (2000). “Jawaharlal Nehru”. To Dictionary of Twentieth-Century World History. Oxford University Press.
- NANDA, BR (1998). Jawaharlal Nehru: Rebel and Statesman.
