1920's and 1930's:

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre (1919) had a profound influence on Jawaharlal and his mother's ties with people in Lahore, brought Nehru face to face with official butchery. During the Non Co-operation Movement (1920), the Nehrus became staunch Nationalists.

In 1926, Jawaharlal and his family (wife Kamala and daughter Indira) spent a year in Europe, during which time Nehru became associated with Socialism. At the Congress of Oppressed Nationalities in Brussels (1927), Nehru was elected to a 9 member executive committee along with Romain Rolland, Mme Sun Yat Sen and Albert Einstein of the Russian Revolution.

Returning to India, Jawaharlal threw himself into the anti-Senior Commission Satyagraha and was severely beaten in a lathi charge. At this juncture a letter to Jawaharlal by Gandhi dated Dec 3rd, 1928 said,

" May God spare you for many a long year to come and make you his chosen instrument for freeing India from the yoke" -- a truly prophetic vision".

In 1929 Jawaharlal Nehru was elected President of the All India Congress Committee and was given the reception fit for a king at the Lahore session of 1929. As the Civil Disobedience movement began, Jawaharlal and Motilal spent long periods in jail (beginning in 1921, Jawaharlal was arrested several times - spending approximately 10 years under arrest between 1920 - 1947), but the women of the Nehru family threw themselves into the nationalists movement. Tragedy struck Jawaharlal when his father died in 1921 and his wife, Kamala, died in 1936, both after prolonged illnesses.

Independence and after

Jawaharlal remained at the forefront of the National movement and became the Chief Negotiator of the Congress for the Transfer of power. A close friend of Lord Mountbatten, Nehru became the P.M. of the Interim government and on 15th August 1947, became the first Prime Minister of Independent India.

Along with Vallabhai Patel as Interior minister, Jawaharlal Nehru ensured the accession of the Princely states to India and extended a hand of friendship to other Afro - Asian Countries. The architect of India's foreign policy, Nehru defined it as anti-imperialist, anti-arpatheid and anti-colonial. Nehru also believed that the newly independent states in Asia and Africa had the right not to join either the Soviet or Capitalist Power Blocs. Thus he along with Tito (Yugoslavia) and Nasser (Egypt) founded the Non-Aligned Movement. Nehru did not consider the "Non Aligned Policy" to be neutral but he believed it allowed Nations to accept aid and maintain good relations with Nations from both Power Blocs.

The only blot on Nehru's foreign policy was the breakdown of the "Panchasheel" agreement signed with China -- In 1962, the Chinese Aggression on India was a huge blow to Nehru. But Nehru's numerous trips abroad, India's membership in the commonwealth and commitment to anti-apartheidism and anti-colonialism were well received.

In December 1929, Nehru had declared that "our economic programme must be based on a human outlook, and must not sacrifice men to money". In keeping with this, Nehru's economic policy was socialist in leaning, giving India a mixed economy and five year planning. Unlike Gandhi who believed that village development was more important, Nehru concentrated on industrialization, refeuing to dams and power units as India's new Temples.

Nehru died in 1964, plunging India into mourning. By no means a perfect leader, Nehru was an introspective, sometimes impetuous man. Passionately fond of children, his birthday is celebrated as children's Day in India.

Much has been written in hindsight criticizing Nehru's economic policy, questioning his foreign policy and speculating on his friendship with Edwura Mountbatten. But few who knew him were immune to Jawaharlal's deeply passionate love for India and his dreams for her future. In the words of Rabindranath Tagore, Nehru was

"the Rituraj representing the season of youth and triumphant joy of an invincible spirit of fight and uncompromising loyalty to the cause of freedom."