Inspiring Quotes from Jawaharlal Nehru
Building A Better Nation
Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964) was a Indian independence activist and leader, and the first Prime Minister of India, serving from 1947 until his death in 1964. He was a key figure in the Indian independence movement, leading the Congress party and working alongside other leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel.
After India gained independence from British colonial rule in 1947, Nehru became the country’s first Prime Minister, a position he held for 17 years. During his tenure, he implemented policies and programs aimed at modernizing and industrializing the country, and also played a key role in shaping India’s foreign policy, particularly in the areas of non-alignment and the promotion of world peace.
Nehru is also known for his role in the development of India’s democratic institutions and his commitment to secularism, socialism, and the welfare state. He is credited with creating the foundation for a robust democratic system in India, laying the foundation for India’s current political and administrative system.
His impact on India’s politics and history is undeniable, Nehru’s vision of a secular, socialist and democratic India is still a guiding principle in India’s politics today. He is considered as one of the most important figures in the history of India and his legacy continues to shape the country’s political and economic development.
Here are some of Jawaharlal Nehru’s most famous quotes, organized by theme:
Quotes on democracy:
“Democracy and socialism are means to an end, not the end itself.”
“Without democracy, there can be no freedom.”
“It is easy to take liberty for granted when you have never had it taken from you.”
“The true source of rights is duty. If we all discharge our duties, rights will not be far to seek.”
Quotes on education:
“The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.”
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”
“Education is a liberating force, and in our age it is also a democratizing force, cutting across the barriers of caste and class, smoothing out inequalities imposed by birth and other circumstances.”
“The education and training of a child is not the concern of the child alone, it is the concern of the community as a whole.”
Quotes on national unity:
“Unity in diversity is the highest possible attainment of a civilization, a testimony to the most noble possibilities of the human race.”
“The art of a people is a true mirror to their minds.”
“We are all one people, but we live in different parts of the country, speak different languages, have different customs and different ways of life. This diversity is not a hindrance, but a source of strength and richness.”
“A nation’s strength ultimately consists in what it can do on its own, and not in what it can borrow from others.
Inspiring Quotes from Jawaharlal Nehru
- “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.”
- “It is easy to take liberty for granted when you have never had it taken from you.”
- “It is not enough to be merely good; one must be good for something.”
- “National unity and progress cannot be achieved by suppression of diversity.”
- “National unity can be achieved only when the people of the country are united in their hearts and minds.”
- “National unity is not the absence of diversity but the recognition and celebration of it.”
- “Science is a beautiful gift to humanity; we should not distort it.”
- “The art of a people is a true mirror to their minds.”
- “The enemy is fear. We think it is hate; but, it is fear.”
- “The foundation of national unity is mutual respect and understanding of different cultures and traditions.”
- “The only way to build a strong and united nation is through mutual respect and tolerance.”
- “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
- “The policy of being too cautious is the greatest risk of all.”
- “The true test of civilization is, not the census, nor the size of cities, nor the crops – no, but the kind of man the country turns out.”
- “The unity and integrity of India is the primary duty of every Indian.”
- “The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.”
- “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”
- “Without peace, all other dreams vanish and are reduced to ashes.”
- “A language is something infinitely greater than grammar and philology. It is the poetic testament of the genius of a race and a culture, and the living embodiment of the thoughts and fancies that have moulded them”
- “A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.”
- “Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit.”
- “Evil unchecked grows, evil tolerated poisons the whole system.”
- “Facts are facts and will not disappear on account of your likes.”
- “Fine buildings, fine pictures and books and everything that is beautiful are certainly signs of civilization. But an even better sign is a fine man who is unselfish and works with others for the good of all. To work together is better than to work singly, and to work together for the common good is best of all.”
- “If any person raises his hand to strike down another on the ground of religion, I shall fight him till the last breath of my life, both as the head of the government and from the outside”
- “India has known the innocence and insouciance of childhood, the passion and abandon of youth, and the ripe wisdom of maturity that comes from long experience of pain and pleasure; and over and over a gain she has renewed her childhood and youth and age”
- “It is science alone that can solve the problems of hunger and poverty, of insanitation and illiteracy, of superstition and deadening custom and tradition, of vast resources running to waste, or a rich country inhabited by starving people… Who indeed could afford to ignore science today? At every turn we have to seek its aid… The future belongs to science and those who make friends with science.”
- “Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you is determinism; the way you play it is free will.”
- “Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance”
- “Politics and Religion are obsolete. The time has come for Science and Spirituality.”
- “The forces in a capitalist society, if left unchecked, tend to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.”
- “The forces in a capitalist society, if left unchecked, tend to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.”
- “The policy of being too cautious is the greatest risk of all.”
- “There is nothing more horrifying than stupidity in action.”
- “Time is not measured by the passing of years but by what one does, what one feels, and what one achieves.”
- “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”
There are several resources available online to learn more about Jawaharlal Nehru and his contributions to Indian politics and history:
The official website of the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, established to promote Nehru’s ideas and legacy: http://www.jnmf.in/
The Jawaharlal Nehru Museum and Library, a research institute in New Delhi, India, dedicated to the study of Nehru’s life and work: https://www.jnm.nic.in/
The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, an institution in New Delhi that houses a collection of books, manuscripts, and other materials related to Nehru and other leaders of India’s independence movement: https://www.nehrumemorial.nic.in/
The Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Advanced Study, a research institute in New Delhi that promotes interdisciplinary research on social, economic, and political issues: https://www.jnu.ac.in/school/jawaharlal-nehru-institute-of-advanced-study
The Jawaharlal Nehru University, a public university in New Delhi that was named in honor of Nehru and which has a department dedicated to the study of his life and work: https://www.jnu.ac.in/
The National Museum, New Delhi, India where you can find the “The Making of a Nation” exhibition which focus on the life and legacy of Jawaharlal Nehru
These resources offer a wide range of information on Jawaharlal Nehru, including his biography, political philosophy, writings, speeches, and other materials related to his life and work, as well as information on organizations and institutions that continue to promote his ideas and legacy.
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