Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tribute to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on his 137th birth anniversary, as the nation observes Children’s Day in his memory. In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Paying tribute to former PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his birth anniversary.” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also paid tribute to the country’s first Prime Minister, recalling his contribution to India’s freedom struggle and his leadership during the formative years of independent India. In a post on X, Singh said, “On the birth anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Ji, I pay my tributes to him. His contribution to India’s freedom struggle and his leadership as the first Prime Minister of independent India left an enduring imprint on the formative years of our nation.”
Why Is Children’s Day Celebrated On November 14?
November 14 is observed as Children’s Day across the country to mark the birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, who was popularly known as ‘Chacha Nehru’ for his affection towards children. After the death of Nehru, it was unanimously decided to celebrate his birthday as ‘Bal Diwas’ or Children’s Day in India. Nehru was born on November 14, 1889, in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj. He breathed his last on May 27, 1964. He became the prime minister on August 15, 1947, following an active role in the freedom struggle of the country.
Children’s Day Celebrations Across India
On this day, a number of activities are organised for students in schools nationwide, such as games, competitions, and so on, while government bodies pay tribute to the late prime minister and organise commemorative events on this day. In 1954, the United Nations declared November 20 as Universal Children’s Day and India used to celebrate Children’s Day on that day before 1956, but after the death of Prime Minister Nehru in 1964, a resolution was passed in the Parliament unanimously declaring the day of Nehru’s birth anniversary as National Children’s Day.
