Children’s Day, observed on November 14, is observed throughout India to raise awareness of children’s rights, as well as their care and educational opportunities. Also commemorated on this day is India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who was born in 1869.
He was affectionately known among children as “Chacha Nehru,” and he advocated for children to receive a well-rounded education. Children, according to Nehru, were the true strength of a nation and the very foundation of society. Children’s Day is traditionally marked by educational and motivational programs organized across the country by and for children, as well as by and for adults.
CHILDREN’S DAY: A HISTORY OF THE DAY
On November 14, 1889, Jawaharlal Nehru was born into a family of Kashmiri Brahmans, the ancestors of India’s first Prime Minister. His ancestors, who were well-known for their administrative prowess and academic achievements, had immigrated to Delhi in the early 18th century.
Mr. Nehru was born in Delhi as the son of Motilal Nehru, an internationally renowned lawyer and leader of the Indian independence movement who went on to become one of Mahatma Gandhi’s closest associates. As the eldest of four children, Jawaharlal was the second of two daughters. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, a sister of Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, went on to become the first woman to hold the position of President of the United Nations General Assembly.
It is believed that Nehru was affectionately known as “Chacha Nehru” by children because he believed that children were India’s greatest source of strength. Alternatively, according to another legend, the former Prime Minister was referred to as “chacha” because of his closeness to Gandi, whom everyone referred to as “Bapu.” As a result, Jawaharlal Nehru was given the nickname ‘chacha’ by the public because he was considered to be the younger brother of the father of the nation.
When India gained its independence in 1947, Nehru emerged as a leader of the independence movement, working with Gandhi as his mentor. He laid the groundwork for India’s independence as a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic, among other things. Nehru is widely regarded as the architect of modern India as a result of this achievement.
Following the death of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964, a resolution was passed unanimously in the parliament to honor him, with the date of his birth being designated as the official date of Children’s Day every year since. Children’s Day was celebrated on November 20th every year in India prior to 1956, when the United Nations declared the day as Universal Children’s Day, which was first observed in 1954. The day after Children’s Day has been observed in India since then to commemorate the birth anniversary of the country’s first prime minister on November 14 each year since then.
Schools now host events that are both entertaining and motivational to commemorate Children’s Day. Many people prepare a speech for Children’s Day. In many schools, students are encouraged to forego their school uniforms in favor of party attire. It is a joyful occasion for all of the children, as well as their parents and teachers.
What exactly are a child’s legal rights in India?
Following are some of the rights of children as stipulated by the Indian Constitution:
- All children between the ages of six and fourteen have the right to free and compulsory elementary education.
- The right to be shielded from any potentially hazardous employment
- Protection from abuse and the right to receive early childhood care and education
- Right to be protected from being forced to work in jobs that are not suitable for their age or physical strength due to economic necessity
- Right to equal opportunities and facilities for development in a healthy manner Right to freedom and dignity, as well as guaranteed protection of childhood and youth against exploitation and exploitation
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