Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid heartfelt tributes to India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his 135th birth anniversary, which is celebrated across the country as Children’s Day. In a post on X, Modi acknowledged Nehru’s indispensable role in the freedom struggle and his contributions during the crucial formative years of independent India.

“Today we mark the 135th birth anniversary of our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. My tributes to him. We remember Pandit Nehru’s efforts during the freedom struggle and his role as the first Prime Minister of India,” the Prime Minister wrote, striking a note of respect rarely seen in recent political discourse between the two leaders’ ideological camps.

Fondly remembered as “Chacha Nehru” for his deep affection towards children, Jawaharlal Nehru remains one of the architects of modern India. His leadership laid the foundations for parliamentary democracy, secularism, scientific institutions, and heavy industries that continue to shape the nation’s trajectory even seven decades after Independence.

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The 135th birth anniversary has prompted widespread reflection on Nehru’s enduring legacy of democratic institution-building, non-alignment in foreign policy, and emphasis on education and scientific temper. Historians highlight that his 17-year tenure as Prime Minister was instrumental in transforming a newly independent nation into a sovereign, secular republic with a strong constitutional framework.

As schools, government offices, and millions of children across India celebrated Bal Diwas with enthusiasm, Prime Minister Modi’s public tribute served as a reminder that, despite sharp political differences, Nehru’s contributions to the making of modern India continue to command respect across the political spectrum.

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