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Jawaharlal Nehru (Hindi: जवाहरलाल नेहरू, IPA: [ʤəʋäɦəɾläl nɛɦɾu] (14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was a major political leader of the Indian National Congress, a pivotal figure in the Indian independence movement and the first and longest-serving prime minister of independent India. As one of the founders of the Non-aligned Movement, he was an important figure in the international politics of the post-war era. He is also referred to as Pandit Nehru ("pandit," Sanskrit, "scholar", as honorific) and in India, as Panditji (-ji, honorific suffix).
The son of the wealthy Indian barrister and politician Motilal Nehru, Nehru became a leader of the left-wing of the Indian National Congress at a remarkably young age. Rising to Congress President under the mentorship of Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru was a charismatic, radical leader, advocating complete independence from the British Empire, and was eventually recognised as Gandhi's political heir. A life-long liberal, Nehru was also an advocate for Fabian socialism and the public sector as the means by which long-standing challenges of economic development could be addressed.
Serving as Congress President, Nehru raised the flag of independent India in New Delhi on 15 August 1947, and served as Prime Minister. His daughter Indira Gandhi and grandson Rajiv Gandhi would both also serve as Prime Minister and President of the Indian National Congress whereas Rajiv's wife Sonia Gandhi would also become the President of the Indian National Congress and a key figure in Indian politics. His long tenure was instrumental in shaping the traditions and structures of independent India.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia