One of the days every child eagerly awaits for every year, of course, apart from birthdays, is Children’s Day. This day for us, even during our childhood, meant no classes, a party at lunch break, or outings to amusement parks or nearby attractions organized by the school. It’s always a memorable day for each child as they feel so special and have no homework or class workload for at least one day. This occasion is also celebrated by giving unique and memorable Children’s Day gifts.
Children’s Day is celebrated in India on Jawaharlal Nehru’s birthday, also fondly known as Chacha Nehru. As Nehru Ji was very fond of kids, the parliament had decided to celebrate Children’s Day in India on his birthday.
As Children’s Day is around the corner, let’s find out in-depth about this day’s significance and some interesting facts about Jawaharlal Nehru. Read on!
When is Children’s Day in India 2023?
India celebrates Children’s Day every year on 14th November, on the birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister.
The United Nations observes Children’s Day on 20th November, and many other countries celebrate it on different dates, such as Japan celebrates this occasion on 5th May, and Thailand celebrates its Children’s Day on the second Saturday of January every year.
History and Significance of Children’s Day in India
Pandit Jawarharlal Nehru was India’s first prime minister. He was known to be very loving and fond of children and thought of them as tomorrow’s future. Hence, he worked hard to educate children in India and established many educational institutes considered very prestigious today, such as IIT, IIM, and AIIMS.
His vision was one of the reasons why children across all age groups and genders and from different states were able to have many educational options. When talking about his love for children, we will never forget a quote from his famous speech: “The children of today will be the India of tomorrow. How we bring them up will determine the country’s future.” He had dedicated his entire life to uplifting education and making it available for all the children.
India celebrated Children’s Day on 20th November after the United Nations had selected this day for universal celebration. But, after Pandit Nehru’s demise in 1964, the parliament passed a resolution to celebrate the former prime minister’s birth anniversary as Children’s Day to honor him for his love and vision for the children of India.
Facts about Jawaharlal Nehru
1. Jawaharlal Nehru was born on 14th November 1889 in Allahabad to parents Motilal Nehru, his father, and mother, Swaruprani Thussu . He also had two sisters, Vijaya Lakshmi, who became the first female president of the United Nations General Assembly, and Krishna Hutheesing, who was a famous author.
2. Pandit Nehru grew up in the Anand Bhavan, which his father had bought for his family’s residence in 1930. Pandit Nehru’s daughter, Indira Gandhi, in the year 1970, donated Anand Bhavan to the Government of India, which today is a well-known museum.
3. Nehru Ji was nominated for the Nobel Prize 11 times, from 1950 to 1970, mainly for his work for peace. But he never received this prize.
4. Pandit Nehru was incarcerated nine times in his lifetime during India’s fight for independence. The total number of days he had spent in jail was 3259, equivalent to 9 years.
5. Nehru Ji enrolled in Trinity College, where he earned his Honor’s Degree in Natural Science. After returning to India in 1912, he attempted to establish his career as a barrister like his father and enrolled as an advocate with the Allahabad High Court.
6. Pandit Nehru has authored many books throughout his life, including Glimpses of World History and The Discovery of India, both telling the tales of the history of the world and our country. He has also written an autobiography, Toward Freedom. He wrote a collection of letters to his daughter, Indira Gandhi when she was away at a boarding school from the age of 10. These letters were collectively published as a book, Letters from a Father to a Daughter.
7. Nehru Ji’s speech, Tryst with Destiny, delivered as the first prime minister of Independent India, is regarded as one of the greatest speeches of the 20th Century. The line from the speech, “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom,” is one of the most iconic lines from his speeches.
8. His style of dressing is admired and even followed by many today, such as the jacket he wore called as Nehru Jacket and a Gandhi cap.
9. Nehru Ji was the first to propose complete national Independence in 1927 and remove all the ties that made Indians bound to the British Empire, including the Indian Civil Service.
10. Nehru Ji was admired by many. When he passed away in 1964 due to a massive heart attack, more than 1.5 million people gathered on the streets to witness his cremation.
14th November, Children’s Day, celebrated India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawarharlal Nehru’s birth anniversary because of his love for the children. Children’s Day is an eagerly awaited day in India, especially for children, as this means receiving Children’s Day gifts, going on picnics, and much more.
Are you thinking of celebrating this occasion with your kids? If so, visit our online store to grab the best gifts from our gift collection dedicated to this occasion. We offer chocolates online, mouth-watering cakes, and many more gifts for this special day.
Pratiksha is our in-house content writer who aims to provide quality content to her readers. In her free time, she enjoys reading and writing, and learning about new things.