Jawaharlal Nehru b'day spl: 10 facts to know about India's first Prime Minister

Jawaharlal Nehru was born on 14 November 1889 in Allahabad. He was India's first Prime minister. Nehru loved children and they returned that love to him by fondly referring to him as 'chacha Nehru'. His birthday is annually celebrated all over the country as Children's Day.He grew up in an atmosphere of privilege at wealthy homes including a large palatial estate called the Anand Bhawan. This estate still stands in good health in Allahabad where it has been converted into a museum that treasures his life, photos, etc. It also has a planetarium for children.The nation is celebrating 126th birth anniversary of J L Nehru.Here are 10 interesting facts about India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru:1. Jawaharlal Nehru was a prolific writer. He penned an autobiography entitled “Toward Freedom” which was published in the USA in 1936. Nehru wrote this book while he was in prison from June 1934 to February 1935.“The Discovery of India” was a manifestation of Nehru's literary genius. The book chronicles India's growth. He tells the Indian story right from the times of Indus Valley civilization to the British Raj. He had written another book while he was in prison from 1942-1946 after the Quit India movement. It is called ‘Glimpses of World History'.In reality this book is a collection of 146 letters written to his only daughter Indira, who became the 3rd Prime Minister of India.2. Nehru Jacket, usually worn by politicians is named after Jawaharlal Nehru who took to wearing this attire after shunning his Western wardrobe.Except for the distinctive stand-up collar, the Nehru Jacket is similar to the waistcoats or suit jackets. One of the by-products of the swadeshi movement was Nehru jacket. It was made of khadi, an alternative to British goods.Even after the passing of Jawaharlal Nehru, it remains to be the favorite for many an Indian politician. Belonging to an aristocratic family Nehru had his own unique style of dressing. This off course includes the red rose that he always placed on his jacket's front pocket.3. Jawaharlal Nehru's birthday is remembered and celebrated all over India as Children's Day. Nehru was well-known for his love for children and he took many steps to ensure educational development of Indian children. Children addressed him as Chacha Nehru.Internationally Children's Day is celebrated on November 20 following the decision of the UN General Assembly in 1959. The celebration started in the month of October, 1954.At the time of adoption of the Declaration of 'the Rights of the Child' by the United Nations General Assembly in 1959, 20th October was selected because it marked the anniversary of the day. Again, the Convention on the 'Rights of the Child' was also signed on the same date in 1989.4. Jawaharlal Nehru was the patriarch of the Nehru-Gandhi family. This family is often referred to as the First Family of Indian politics.Over the years, the term Nehru-Gandhi dynasty has been more frequently used, as three members of this family have become Prime Ministers. After Nehru's death, the baton was handed over to his only daughter Indira Gandhi.She went on to be India's third Prime Minister. Following her death, her son Rajiv Gandhi took charge. After Rajeev's assassination, his wife Sonia Gandhi has been chosen the President of the Congress Party. Rahul Gandhi, Nehru's great grandson is Congress Vice President.5. While studying at Harrow College (Middlesex) and Trinity College, Cambridge, his fellow classmates called him Joe Nehru. He was a very popular student and loved by his batch mates for his jovial nature and intellect.As a student of Natural Sciences, Nehru had to study Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. But he was not friendly with numbers hence he opted for Botany instead. Nehru studied Natural sciences at Trinity College, Cambridge.He also completed a degree in Law from the Inner Temple. Natural Sciences comprised Physics, Chemistry. Nehru's father, Motilal Nehru wanted him to take up law and become a barrister, which he did, but his heart was not in the subject.6. Very few people are aware that like his political guru Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru too was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize many times. Nehru was nominated 11 times in total by both national and international agencies.For the first time he was nominated in 1955. Just like his mentor, he didn't manage to achieve it. He was appreciated for his contribution towards promoting education. Jawaharlal Nehru was a passionate advocate of education for India's children and youth, believing it essential for India's future progress.His government oversaw the establishment of many institutions of higher learning, including the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, the Indian Institutes of Technology, the Indian Institutes of Management and the National Institutes of Technology. In 1955 Nehru was awarded Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour.7. Jawaharlal Nehru used to call Sheikh Abdullah his blood – brother. Sheikh Abdullah met Nehru, the leader of the Indian National Congress in 1937 for the first time.He was a leader of the 'All India States Peoples' Conference' at that time and his party was agitating against Maharaja Hari Sing, the ruler of the princely state of Kashmir, for a representative people's government.There developed an intimate friendship between the two. In fact, Nehru's father, Motilal Nehru, a wealthy barrister belonged to the Kashmiri Pandit community.Hence in a way, apart from the cordial relationship that Abdullah and Nehru had developed, they also shared something in common – Kashmir origin.8. Jawaharlal Nehru hoisted the Indian National Flag on August 15, 1947 at the Red Fort, Delhi. Being the first Prime Minister of India, he was also the first one to hoist the flag.He took office as the Prime Minister of India on 15 August, and delivered his inaugural address titled "Tryst with Destiny". This speech is till date read with patriotism. The speech is as follows:"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."9. There were four known assassination attempts on Nehru. The first attempt on his life was during partition in 1947 while he was visiting North-West Frontier Province (now in Pakistan) in a car.The second one was by a knife-wielding rickshaw-puller in Maharashtra in 1955. The third one happened in Mumbai in 1956. The fourth one was a failed bombing attempt on train tracks in Maharashtra in 1961.Despite threats to his life, Nehru despised having too much security around him and did not like to disrupt traffic due to his movement.Nehru enjoyed interacting with people as he journeyed on. Security prevented him from meeting with the masses one on one.10. Nehru was alleged to have had relationships with Padmaja Naidu and Edwina Mountbatten. He married Kamala Kaul in 1916.Their only daughter Indira was born a year later in 1917. Kamala gave birth to a boy in November 1924, but he lived only for a week." Kamala died from tuberculosis in Lausanne,Switzerland on 28 February 1936. She too was a freedom fighter.A number of institutions in India, such as Kamala Nehru Memorial Hospital & Regional Cancer Centre, Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi, Kamala Nehru Degree Evening College (Bangalore), Kamala Nehru Park, Kamla Nehru Institute of Technology (Sultanpur), Kamala Nehru Polytechnic (Hyderabad) are named after her.