History of Jawaharlal Nehru in Timeline

Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of independent India and a central figure in the country's mid-20th century politics. A prominent anti-colonial nationalist, he advocated for secular humanism and social democracy. Nehru was also a writer, historian, lawyer, and statesman. His leadership shaped India's early post-independence trajectory.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles

1929: Presidential Address at Lahore Session

During his Presidential Address at the Lahore session in 1929, Nehru had declared that, "The Indian States cannot live apart from the rest of India and their rulers must, unless they accept their inevitable limitations, go the way of others like them."

1929: Emergence as Paramount Leader

Following the Lahore session of the Congress in 1929, Jawaharlal Nehru began to emerge as the most important leader of the Indian independence movement. Nehru had drafted the "Fundamental Rights and Economic Policy" resolution that set the government agenda for an independent India.

1929: Hoisting the Tricolour Flag and Pledge of Independence

On New Year's Eve 1929, Jawaharlal Nehru hoisted the tricolour flag of India on the banks of the Ravi in Lahore. A pledge of independence was read, including a readiness to withhold taxes, receiving approval from the public. 172 Indian legislators resigned in support. The Congress then called for observing January 26 as Independence Day, leading to flag hoisting across India and plans for civil disobedience.

April 1930: Arrest for Breach of Salt Law

In April 1930, Jawaharlal Nehru was arrested while traveling by train from Allahabad to Raipur for ceremoniously manufacturing contraband salt. Earlier he had addressed a huge meeting and led a vast procession. He was charged with breach of the salt law and sentenced to six months of imprisonment at Central Jail.

October 1930: Release and Re-arrest

On October 11, 1930, Jawaharlal Nehru's detention ended. However, he was back in jail in less than ten days for resuming the presidency of the banned Congress.

January 1931: Early Release from Prison

On January 26, 1931, Jawaharlal Nehru and other prisoners were released early by Lord Irwin, who was negotiating with Gandhi.

February 1931: Death of Motilal Nehru

On February 6, 1931, Nehru's father died.

December 1931: Imprisonment for "No-Rent" Campaign

On December 26, 1931, Jawaharlal Nehru was imprisoned again after violating court orders by leading a "no-rent" campaign in Allahabad to help alleviate peasant distress.

1931: Ratification of "Fundamental Rights and Economic Policy" resolution

In 1931, the "Fundamental Rights and Economic Policy" resolution that was drafted by Nehru was ratified at the Karachi session chaired by Vallabhbhai Patel.

August 1933: Release and Government's Intention to Re-detain

On August 30, 1933, Jawaharlal Nehru was released from prison, but the government soon moved to detain him again.

December 1933: Home Secretary's Memo

On December 22, 1933, the Home Secretary sent a memo to all local governments in India.

January 1934: Arrest in Allahabad

On January 12, 1934, Jawaharlal Nehru was arrested in Allahabad.

August 1934: Brief Release for Wife's Health

In August 1934, Jawaharlal Nehru was briefly released for eleven days to attend to his wife Kamala's ailing health.

September 1935: Kamala Nehru's Illness

In September 1935, Nehru's wife, Kamala, became terminally ill while receiving medical treatment in Badenweiler, Germany.

1935: Drafting the Election Manifesto

During the campaign, Nehru was elected to another term as Congress president. The election manifesto, drafted largely by Nehru, attacked both the Government of India Act and the Communal Award that went with it.

February 1936: Death of Kamala Nehru

On February 28, 1936, Nehru's wife Kamala died in a sanatorium in Lausanne, Switzerland.

March 1936: Return to India as Congress President

In March 1936, Jawaharlal Nehru returned to India after being elected as Congress president for the coming year, leading the Congress response to the Government of India Act 1935, which he condemned.

1937: Participation in Provincial Elections

In 1937, Nehru initially wanted to boycott the provincial elections but agreed to lead the election campaign after receiving assurances about abstentionism.

January 1938: Death of Nehru's mother

Jawaharlal Nehru was discontented with his role as Congress president, especially after the death of his mother in January 1938.

February 1938: Stepping down as Congress president

In February 1938, Jawaharlal Nehru did not stand for re-election as Congress president, and was succeeded by Subash Chandra Bose.

December 1938: Return to India and Acceptance to Head Planning Commission

After returning to India in December 1938, Jawaharlal Nehru accepted Bose's offer to head the Planning Commission.

February 1939: Presidency of AISPC

In February 1939, Jawaharlal Nehru became president of the All India States Peoples Conference (AISPC).

October 1939: Condemnation of Viceroy's Attitude and Call for Resignations

On October 23, 1939, the Congress condemned the Viceroy's attitude and called upon the Congress ministries in the various provinces to resign in protest. Before this announcement, Nehru urged Jinnah and the Muslim League to join the protest, but Jinnah declined.

March 1940: Pakistan Resolution

In March 1940, Muhammad Ali Jinnah passed the Pakistan Resolution, declaring that Muslims are a nation and must have their own state.

October 1940: Launch of Limited Civil Disobedience Campaign

In October 1940, Gandhi and Nehru launched a limited civil disobedience campaign in which leading advocates of Indian independence were selected to participate one by one.

October 1940: Dominion Status Offer

On October 8, 1940, Linlithgow offered Dominion status for India but referred neither to a date nor a method to accomplish this. It was also communicated that the British would not transfer power to a Congress-dominated government.

January 1941: Gandhi's statement on Nehru

On 15 January 1941, Gandhi made a statement about Nehru.

August 1942: Arrest Following Quit India Resolution

Following the Quit India resolution passed by the Congress party in Bombay on August 8, 1942, the entire Congress working committee, including Gandhi and Nehru, was arrested and imprisoned.

1942: Gandhi's Heir

Although Gandhi did not explicitly designate Nehru as his political heir until 1942, as early as the mid-1930s, the country saw Nehru as the natural successor to Gandhi.

1942: Cripps Mission and Failed Compromise

In 1942, with the Japanese threat growing, the British government sent Sir Stafford Cripps to India with settlement proposals. Nehru was hopeful for a compromise, but Gandhi opposed the proposals. Cripps' mission ultimately failed.

April 1943: Muslim League Captures Governments

In April 1943, while Congress leaders were imprisoned, the Muslim League captured the governments of Bengal and the North-West Frontier Province.

1943: Bengal famine

Much of the blame for the disastrous Bengal famine of 1943–44 during which two million died had been laid on the shoulders of the province's Muslim League government.

May 1944: Release of Gandhi

Gandhi had been released from prison on medical grounds in May 1944

1944: Waning Power of Jinnah

By 1944, Jinnah's power and prestige were waning.

June 1945: Release from Ahmednagar Fort

Most of the Congress working committee, including Nehru, Abdul Kalam Azad, and Sardar Patel, were incarcerated at the Ahmednagar Fort until June 15, 1945.

1946: Interim Government and Constituent Assembly

In 1946, Nehru and his colleagues were released and a plan led to elections to the provincial assemblies, who then elected members of the Constituent Assembly. Congress won the majority, and Nehru became prime minister of the interim government. The Muslim League joined the government later.