Motilal Nehru Birth Anniversary: Motilal Nehru (6 May 1861 – 6 February 1931) was an Indian jurist, activist, and politician. He was also the father of Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister.
Motilal Nehru: Early Years
He was born in Uttar Pradesh, India, on May 6, 1861. Gangadhar, his father, died before he was born. His older brother Nandalal, an attorney in Allahabad, reared him. Although he was raised in Allahabad, he attended education in Kanpur. After that, he attended Muir Central College in Allahabad and earned a BFA.
He passed the Lawyer examination in 1883 and began practising law in Kanpur. Later, he began practising in Allahabad, where he earned a reputation among the privileged.
After witnessing the massacre of Indians by the British at Amritsar in 1919, Motilal joined Mahatma Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement, giving up his law career and adopting a simplified, non-Anglicized lifestyle.
In 1919, he began publishing ‘The Independent to compete with ‘The Leader’.
He eventually joined the Swaraj Party.
In 1923, the newly established British India Central Legislative Assembly elected him opposition leader. During his tenure, he delayed a number of financial measures and other pieces of legislation.
In March 1926, as a member of the assembly, he urged the British to convene a conference of representatives to craft a constitution granting India complete dominion status. Motilal resigned from the assembly and joined the Congress Party after the British denied his request.
In 1928, he drafted for the Congress Party the Nehru Report, a prospective constitution for an independent India based on dominion status. When the British rejected these proposals in 1930, he joined the civil disobedience movement and was imprisoned. He died shortly after being freed.
Additionally, he served as the president of the Congress party for two mandates, between 1919 and 1928.
Legacy
Since he is the progenitor of India’s most influential political family, the Nehru-Gandhi family, he leaves behind a significant legacy. Three prime ministers have come from his family: Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi. His great-great-grandchildren Rahul Gandhi, Varun Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi are currently prominent figures in Indian politics.
Death
On February 6, 1931, he passed away in Uttar Pradesh, India.
