Senior leaders of the Congress party on Wednesday paid tributes to India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, on his death anniversary, remembering him as the architect of modern India and praising his contributions to democracy, scientific progress, social justice, and institution-building.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said Nehru’s vision and leadership continue to inspire the nation and guide its democratic foundations. In a post on social media platform X, he said, “On the death anniversary of the country’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, humble tributes are paid to him.”
He further said that while laying “the strong foundation of modern India,” Nehru dedicated his life to building “an inclusive, harmonious, and progressive nation.”
“His visionary leadership, rooted in freedom, democratic principles, constitutional rights, social justice, and a scientific temper, will continue to guide us forever,” Rahul Gandhi wrote.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also remembered Nehru’s commitment to public welfare and inclusive development, sharing one of his reflections on governance and compassion. “Kaam ka paimana yeh hai ki mulk mein aise kitne log hain jinki aankhon se aansoo behte hain aur unmein se kitne aansoo humne ponchhe, kitne aansoo humne kam kiye,” (“The true measure of our work is how many people in the country have tears in their eyes, and how many of those tears we have wiped away or reduced”), she wrote on X.
She said Nehru believed that a nation could progress only when its millions of citizens prospered and lived with dignity and happiness. She credited him with establishing key institutions in education, healthcare, science, technology, industry, and agriculture that continue to serve as the backbone of India’s development. “It is on the foundation of these institutions that India stands strong today,” she said, describing Nehru as “the great freedom fighter, the country’s first Prime Minister, and the architect of modern India.”
Congress leader and party’s communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh also paid tribute to Nehru while launching a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over what he described as efforts to undermine Nehru’s legacy. “Jawaharlal Nehru passed away 62 years ago today. He continues to be studied and analysed, as well as both criticised and applauded. This is inherent to the nature of history and the lives and legacies of great historical figures who leave behind indelible footprints on the sands of time,” Ramesh wrote.
However, he alleged that the current government was attempting to diminish Nehru’s role in shaping modern India. “What is truly pathological is the current Prime Minister’s ongoing denial of Nehru’s monumental contributions, along with a persistent and diabolical effort to distort, defame, and denigrate him,” Ramesh said.
He added that Nehru’s contribution to fostering a “scientific temper” among Indians laid the foundation for the country’s technological and scientific capabilities. “Nehru cannot be erased from the fabric of modern India, which he shaped decisively, profoundly — and above all, so very democratically,” he said. Ramesh further claimed that as “the truth of the damage this Modi regime has done to our polity, society, and economy becomes increasingly stark and evident every passing day, Nehru’s relevance only grows.”
Jawaharlal Nehru, who served as India’s first Prime Minister from 1947 until his death in 1964, played a central role in shaping independent India’s political and institutional framework. Widely regarded as a key architect of India’s democratic system, Nehru championed parliamentary democracy, secularism, scientific advancement, and non-alignment in foreign policy.
Under his leadership, India established major public institutions including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), scientific research centres, large public sector industries, and multipurpose river valley projects. His tenure also saw the strengthening of democratic institutions and the adoption of planned economic development through the Planning Commission. Nehru remains one of the most influential and debated figures in Indian political history, with his legacy continuing to shape political discourse across party lines decades after his death.