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Jawaharlal Nehru was lucky in life. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, gold cup in his hand and silken slippers to his feet as the only son or an affluent lawyer. He had the best of education at Harrow and Cambridge. While in England he sympathised with the extremist leaders of India and incurred the wrath of his father who was then a Moderate. He returned as barrister and was at the Bar for a brief spell. His father chose a charming bride for him. But his family life was sporadic and short lived.

He had no struggle existence and initially joined Annie Besant’s Home Rule movement. He plunged into the national struggle under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi without any mental reservations. His father Motilal followed suit. C.Y. Chintamani used to say that while Motilal was the physical father of Jawaharlal, Jawaharlal was the political father of Motilal. Gandhiji joked that while Motilal loved the country, he loved his son more than the country. In the fitness of things Jawaharlal succeeded his father as Congress President.

His visit to the Soviet Union in 1927 influenced him ideolo­gically. “The Times� of London described him as a product of pre-war Harrow and post-war Moscow. He was a queer mixture of East and West and was out of place every where and at home no where. He was a Hindu by birth, Muslim by culture and English by education. Sardar Patel once joked that Jawaharlal was the only nationalist Muslim in India. On his own admission he took to the crowd and the crowd took to him. Though he was always in it, he was never of it. While drawing inspiration from the masses, he was lonely and introspective.

At Lahore session of the Congress in 1929 riding with his sense of theatre on a white changer fitted to perfection as Gandhiji has prophesied the role of young Galabadi in revolt. Rabindranath Tagore hailed him as a soldier whose banner was the banner of the exploited and a patriot whose humanity and vision was not obstructed by the barriers of his land and its past. He toured extensively in India and abroad and got first hand knowledge of men and matters. He had charm and glamour of a prince, the mass appeal of a proletariat leader who could sway the masses. In short he was charismatic. In a land of hero-worship, he became the hero of heroes.

The passing away of his wife Kamala in 1936, left a void in his life. Referring to her cremation he stated “that fair body with parts admirably proportioned, that beautiful face which smiled so often and well and that sweet voice were consumed by fire and reduced to ashes.� He was loyal to her and did not remarry and dedicated his autobiography to her memory. He discharged his duties with detachment and magnanimity. He made his mother and sisters feel as if his father were alive. He exercised only advisory Jurisdiction.

As president of the Lucknow session of the Congress he held out socialism as the solution to India’s problems. He encouraged formation of Congress Socialist Party without joining it, to allay the fears of the old guard. He thought about the Indian problems internationally since poverty and oppression in any part of the world was a challenge to prosperity and liberty in other parts. He condemned Italian aggression in Abyssinia, invasion of China by Japan and civil war in Spain. He foresaw the menace of Fascism and Nazism and condemned them outright and refused to meet Mussolini and Hitler. He was equally opposed to purges and liquidations of dissidents in Stalinist Russia. He condemned Britain for speaking in two voices–democratic at home and imperial abroad.

When the Second World war broke out, his sympathies lay with democracies. But he felt that India in bondage would continue to be a symbol of British imperialism and supported “Quit India� movement. While opposing Subash Chandra Bose for seeking support of Axis Powers to liberate India, he took active part in arranging defence of Indian National Army Per­sonnel before the Court Martial at Red Fort in New Delhi. Thus he reacted democratically to the changing situation. He fought for democratisation of native states and abolition of Zamindaris. He proclaimed that Black-marketers should be hanged. He spoke as he felt on the spur of the moment.

He was obliged to agree to partitioning the country under sad necessity. But he stuck to socialism, secularism and democracy and successfully evolved the policy of non-alignment· When freedom was in peril whether in Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam or countries of Africa, he extended active support. In Parliament he behaved with dignity and fair to all. From a position of strength he showed remarkable tolerance. When he wanted to amalgamate the posts of Law Minister and Attorney-General. Rajaji retorted why the positions of President and Prime Minister should not be amalgamated. Then he abandoned the idea. If he wanted he could have become a dictator. But he was a democratic to the core. According to an astrologer of Varanasi, his horoscope corresponded to that of Emperor Asoka. In 19th century terms he may be compared to cavour with an admixture of Garibaldi and the dash of a romantic nationalist. To this may be added Woodrow Wilson in the 20th century. In him Brahmin pride, Hindu thought, Islamic influence and Western ideas competed for supremacy. Indira Gandhi said that her father was a saint who strayed into politics. Rajaji remarked that though Jawahar­lal was eleven years younger to him, he was admittedly eleven times greater.

As a Writer he secured a place in history. His “Autobio­graphy�, “Glimpses of World History� and “Discovery of India� are classics marked by chaste language, chiselled diction and a fund of information presented in a capsule form. He prized his presidentship of Sahitya Akademi as more important than that of the Prime Ministership of the country. Even after he is forgotten as a Prime Minister, he will be remembered as man of letters. He was builder of New India and promoted scientific outlook and technological advance.

He stood by friends through thick and thin. He constantly espoused the cause of Arabs in spite of their sympathy for Pakistan. He defended V.K. Krishna Menon to the last. He protected his special Assistant M.O. Mathai till the situa­tion became intolerable. He was opposed to racism, regionalism, casteism and linquism. He was explosive in speech, cautious in action, impulsive in gesture, deliberate in judgment, self-­assertive in little acts and self-effacing in big deeds. Unfortuna­tely he had no sympathy for middle class. He loved Children and his birth day is rightly celebrated as “Children’s Day�.

Though he was in prison nearly for a decade during the national struggle, he had no hatred or malice against the British. Winston Churchill openly expressed his admiration for this remarkable quality and wished he were with Nehru during his American tour to introduce him to the audience. When Ram Mohan Lohia was lodged in prison in free India for his unlaw­-activities, he sent him a basketful of best mangoes. He rendered financial assistance to M.N.Roy who always criticised him. He was intensely human and humane.

With active and industrious habits he worked for 16 or 17 hours a day. He was an agnostic with detachment. He dis­liked ease and luxury. He hated poverty with no contempt for the poor. He was incapable of harbouring illwill and nursing grievances. Gandhiji, naming him as his heir, said that he was pure as crystal and truthful beyond doubt and adding that the nation was safe in his hands. Our world is a better place on account of his having lived in it. As long as our sensibility lasts, we cannot cease to cherish memory of a gem of this man. The red rose is gone but its fragrance never fades. We cannot denigrate or deny his place in history.

He has a sure seat among the great of the world. He left enduring impact on India’s recent history as history is made and nations are shaped by outstanding individuals. He was greater than his deeds, and truer than his surroundings. He occupies a high pedestal in the imposing edifice of Indian nationalism. Among the illustrious that adorn history he is a prominent one. What ever be his achievements he was always in motion fretting at limits and longing to be universal. How many of his type our country produced?