During Jawaharlal Nehru’s time in prison, he wrote several letters to his daughter Indira Gandhi, who was 10 years old at the time. Through his letters, he taught her about history, science and evolution. His letters were published as a book called “Letters from a Father to His Daughter”. He also read extensively in prison.
It was perhaps this thirst for knowledge and the desire to share it that made him a passionate advocate of education, not just for children but also for adults. He was responsible for the establishment of some of the most revered institutions of higher learning in India – such as the Indian Institute of Management (IIMs), the Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMs).
Nehru made a provision in his five-year plans to guarantee free and compulsory primary education to all India’s children. Towards this end, Nehru was instrumental in mass village enrolment programmes and the construction of many schools. He also initiated the provision of free milk and meals to children to fight malnutrition. Vocational and technical schools were also organized for adults in rural areas at his behest.
The early emphasis on science and technology made India one of the largest producers of doctors and engineers in the world today. India owes much of this success to the foresight of Jawaharlal Nehru.
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