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Jawaharlal Nehru
Politics & Leadership Historical Figures Indian Politics

Jawaharlal Nehru

First Prime Minister of India (1947–1964)

14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964 India Verified by our editors
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Lived
74 yrs
1889 – 1964
Works listed
3
Book, Autobiography
Honours
1
Most recent 1955
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Jawaharlal Nehru was a leading figure of the independence movement and India’s first and longest-serving Prime Minister. He shaped the young republic’s parliamentary democracy, secular constitution, planned economy and non-aligned foreign policy.

Biography

Early life

Nehru was the son of Motilal Nehru, a prominent lawyer and Congress leader. He was educated at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge, and trained as a barrister at the Inner Temple before returning to India in 1912.

Drawn into politics by Mahatma Gandhi, he joined the Non-Cooperation Movement and spent a total of about nine years in British prisons, where he wrote several of his best-known books.

Independence movement

As president of the Indian National Congress at its 1929 Lahore session, Nehru presided over the resolution demanding Purna Swaraj — complete independence. He became Gandhi’s chosen political heir and the leading voice of the Congress’s socialist and internationalist wing.

On the night of 14–15 August 1947 he addressed the Constituent Assembly with the “Tryst with Destiny” speech as India became independent.

Prime Minister

As Prime Minister from 1947 until his death in 1964, Nehru led the country through partition, the integration of the states and the first general elections in 1951–52. His governments launched Five-Year Plans, built heavy industry and dams, and founded institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology and AIIMS.

Abroad he championed decolonisation and, with leaders of Egypt, Yugoslavia, Indonesia and Ghana, helped found the Non-Aligned Movement. The 1962 border war with China was the major setback of his final years.

Ideas

Nehru’s political philosophy combined parliamentary democracy, secularism, a mixed economy with a strong public sector, scientific temper and non-alignment in foreign policy. He insisted on universal adult suffrage from India’s first election and on equal citizenship regardless of religion, and he believed planning and heavy industry — which he called the “temples of modern India” — would end poverty.

Critics and debates

Nehru’s legacy is debated. Admirers credit him with keeping India democratic and united in its fragile early years and building its scientific and educational institutions. Critics fault his handling of Kashmir and China, the slow growth of the planned economy and the dominance of his family in the Congress after him.

Writer and legacy

Nehru wrote widely read histories from prison, including Glimpses of World History, written as letters to his daughter Indira, and The Discovery of India. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1955.

His fondness for children is remembered in India’s Children’s Day, celebrated on his birthday, 14 November. His daughter Indira Gandhi and grandson Rajiv Gandhi both later became Prime Minister.

Timeline

  1. 1889

    Born in Allahabad (Prayagraj), North-Western Provinces

  2. 1912

    Returns to India as a barrister

    Begins practising law at the Allahabad High Court.

  3. 1916

    Marries Kamala Kaul

    Their only child, Indira, is born the following year.

  4. 1916

    First meets Mahatma Gandhi

    Lucknow Congress session.

  5. 1929

    Congress president at Lahore

    Presides over the resolution for complete independence.

  6. 1936

    Congress president again

  7. 1946

    Heads the interim government

    Vice-president of the Viceroy’s Executive Council.

  8. 1947

    Becomes first Prime Minister

    Delivers the “Tryst with Destiny” speech on 14–15 August.

  9. 1951

    First general election

    Congress wins a large majority in India’s first nationwide vote.

  10. 1954

    Signs the Panchsheel agreement with China

  11. 1955

    Awarded the Bharat Ratna

    India’s highest civilian honour.

  12. 1956

    AIIMS established

    By Act of Parliament.

  13. 1961

    Co-founds the Non-Aligned Movement

    First summit held in Belgrade.

  14. 1962

    Sino-Indian War

  15. 1964

    Dies in office

    Passes away in New Delhi on 27 May.

  16. 1964

    Died, aged 74

Notable works

  • 1934

    Glimpses of World History Book

    A history of the world written as letters from prison to his daughter.

  • 1936

    An Autobiography (Toward Freedom) Autobiography

    Account of his life and the freedom struggle up to the mid-1930s.

  • 1946

    The Discovery of India Book

    Reflections on Indian history and culture, written in Ahmednagar Fort prison.

Awards and honours

  • Bharat Ratna

    1955 · India’s highest civilian award.

In their own words

“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.”
— Speech to the Constituent Assembly, New Delhi, 1947

Did you know?

  1. 1

    He remains India’s longest-serving Prime Minister, at almost 17 years.

  2. 2

    Children’s Day in India is celebrated on his birthday, 14 November.

  3. 3

    Nehru wrote much of his most famous work while imprisoned by the British.

  4. 4

    He called large dams and industrial projects the “temples of modern India”.

  5. 5

    His residence, Teen Murti Bhavan, became a museum and library.

  6. 6

    He wrote 196 letters to his daughter Indira from prison, published as Glimpses of World History.

Connections

Related people

Also born on 14 November

Frequently asked

Who is Jawaharlal Nehru?

Jawaharlal Nehru was a leading figure of the independence movement and India’s first and longest-serving Prime Minister. He shaped the young republic’s parliamentary democracy, secular constitution, planned economy and non-aligned foreign policy.

When did Jawaharlal Nehru die?

Jawaharlal Nehru died on 27 May 1964 at the age of 74.

Where is Jawaharlal Nehru from?

Jawaharlal Nehru was born in Allahabad (Prayagraj), North-Western Provinces.

What is Jawaharlal Nehru known for?

Jawaharlal Nehru is best known for Building India’s democratic institutions, the Non-Aligned Movement, “Tryst with Destiny”.

What awards has Jawaharlal Nehru received?

Notable honours include Bharat Ratna (1955).

Who is Jawaharlal Nehru married to?

Spouse: Kamala Nehru (m. 1916; died 1936).

References

  1. Jawaharlal Nehru — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  2. Jawaharlal Nehru — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  3. Jawaharlal Nehru — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  4. Jawaharlal Nehru — Goodreads author page. Goodreads. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  5. Jawaharlal Nehru — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  6. Jawaharlal Nehru (Q1047) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.

External links

Wikipedia
Filed under Bharat RatnaFreedom fightersIndian independence movementIndian National CongressPrime Ministers of IndiaUttar Pradesh Freedom FighterLawyerPoliticianStatesmanWriter

About this profile

  • Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
  • First published 26 October 2026
  • Last updated

Cite this page

“Jawaharlal Nehru.” TrackFame, last updated 26 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/jawaharlal-nehru

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