Jawaharlal Nehru, who passed away on 27 May 1964, aged
74, was an Indian independence activist and the first Prime Minister of India,
serving from 1947 until his death in 1964. A central figure in Indian politics
before and after independence, Nehru was a protégé of Mahatma
Gandhi and played a pivotal role in India's struggle for independence from
British colonial rule. His tenure as Prime Minister shaped India's path in the
post-independence era, both in its internal development and its foreign policy.
Nehru was born into a wealthy Kashmiri Brahmin
family in Allahabad. He was educated at home and in Britain, where he attended
Harrow School and later, Cambridge University. He then trained as a barrister
at the Inner Temple in London. Upon his return to India, he was drawn into the
Indian National Congress and the nationalist struggle against British rule.
Under Gandhi's guidance, Nehru became a prominent leader in the
Congress Party. He actively participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement in the
1920s and the Civil Disobedience Movement in the 1930s. Nehru was imprisoned
several times by the British authorities for his role in the independence
movement.
As Prime Minister, Nehru worked to shape a modern,
secular, and democratic India. He emphasized social and economic development,
launching plans to industrialize the economy, improve agricultural
productivity, and expand access to education and healthcare. His government
also undertook major projects to build infrastructure and develop heavy
industry.
Nehru's foreign policy was marked by the
principles of non-alignment during the Cold War. He was a founding figure of
the Non-Aligned Movement, advocating for an independent course for India in
international affairs, as free as possible from the influence of the major Cold
War powers.
