Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru, (1889-1964). Indian statesman; first prime minister of independent India (1957-64). A lawyer by training, he became committed to the cause of Indian independence during the 1910s. Between 1921 and 1945 he was imprisoned nine times by the British, serving a total of 13 years for his nationalist activities. As leader of the Congress party (from 1929), he was second only to Gandhi in the influence he had among his people. During his premiership he worked to build up India’s industry and economy and maintained a policy of nonalignment. His daughter was the politician Indira Gandhi.
