Captain capable

Freedom fighter, leader, statesman, thinker, author, visionary... I donned many hats with ease.

Name: Jawaharlal Nehru

Nickname: Chacha Nehru, owing to my love for children

Birthday: November 14, 1889

The world knows me as: The first Prime Minister of independent India.

A childhood memory: I was educated at home by private tutors till the age of 16.

Turning point: I was motivated to fight the British after overhearing Brigadier-General Dyer gloating over the Jallianwala Bagh massacre while travelling by train.

Firm resolve: I spent almost nine years in jail during the freedom struggle.

My strongest belief: Children are the future of our country.

My biggest strength: The four pillars of my domestic policies: democracy, socialism, unity, and secularism.

Feather in my cap: At almost 17 years, I am the longest serving Prime Minister of India.

Iconic moment: I delivered my famous ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech on the eve of India’s independence.

Family affair: My father Motilal Nehru was a renowned lawyer and freedom fighter. My sister Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit became the first woman president of the United Nations General Assembly. My daughter Indira Gandhi went on to become India’s first woman Prime Minister.

Style statement: The Nehru jacket, a type of coat, is named after me.

Window to my world: My autobiography, which I wrote in prison; and a collection of letters I wrote to my daughter.

Lasting legacy: My policies in various fields charted the future course of the nation.

Quote for you: “There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”