30 Facts About Motilal Nehru

Motilal Nehru was an Indian lawyer, activist and politician belonging to the Indian National Congress.

Motilal Nehru was a patriarch of the Nehru-Gandhi family and the father of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.

Motilal Nehru was born on 6 May 1861, the posthumous son of Gangadhar Nehru and his wife Indrani.

The Nehru family had been settled for several generations in Delhi, and Gangadhar Nehru was a kotwal in that city.

Motilal Nehru died on 4 February 1861 and his youngest child, Motilal, was born three months later.

Motilal Nehru did receive some support from him, but all of Delhi had suffered hugely during the recent mutiny and assistance could not be open-ended.

Motilal Nehru then began practising law at the provincial High Court at Agra.

Motilal Nehru passed the bar examination in 1883 and began practicing law at Kanpur.

Many of Motilal Nehru's suits were civil cases concerning large land-owning families.

Motilal Nehru soon made a name for himself in the civil society of Allahabad.

Motilal Nehru was the first chairman of the board of directors of The Leader, a leading daily published from Allahabad.

Motilal Nehru started on the path to become wealthy among the few leaders of the Indian National Congress.

Under the influence of Mahatma Gandhi in 1918, Motilal Nehru became one of the first to transform his life to exclude western clothes and material goods, adopting a more native Indian lifestyle.

Motilal Nehru twice served as President of the Congress Party, once in Amritsar and the second time in Calcutta.

Motilal Nehru was in the centre of the gathering storm which pulled down many familiar landmarks during the following year.

Motilal Nehru was the only front rank leader to lend his support to non-co-operation at the special Congress at Calcutta in September 1920.

The Calcutta Congress over which Motilal Nehru presided was the scene of a head-on clash between those who were prepared to accept Dominion Status and those who would have nothing short of complete independence.

Motilal Nehru later joined the Swaraj Party, which sought to enter the British-sponsored councils.

Motilal Nehru had been elected to the United Provinces Legislative Council where he staged the first walk-out in protest of the rejection of a resolution he had moved.

In 1923, Motilal Nehru was elected to the new Central Legislative Assembly of British India in New Delhi and became leader of the Opposition.

Motilal Nehru agreed to join a Committee with the object of promoting the recruitment of Indian officers into the Indian Army, but this decision contributed to others going further and joining the Government itself.

In March 1926, Motilal Nehru demanded a representative conference to draft a constitution conferring full Dominion status on India, to be enacted by the British parliament.

Jawaharlal had opposed his father's preference for dominion status, and had not left the Congress Party when Motilal Nehru helped found the Swaraj Party.

Motilal Nehru chaired the famous Nehru Commission in 1928, a counter to the all-British Simon Commission.

Motilal Nehru was arrested and imprisoned with his son; but his health gave way and he was released.

Motilal Nehru had the satisfaction of having his son and Gandhi beside him in his last days.

Motilal Nehru is remembered for being the patriarch of India's most powerful political dynasty which has since produced three Prime Ministers.

Motilal Nehru had a profusion of gifts, and as an advocate he had the art of presenting his case in its most attractive form.

Motilal Nehru had an exquisite public speaking voice and a charm of manner which made it a pleasure to listen to him.

Motilal Nehru has left behind a very great reputation in this court and his name will always be associated with this Court and be one of the traditions of this Court.