Motilal Nehru was a well-distinguished lawyer and activist of the “Indian Independence Movement.” Besides that, he also played an important part in the Indian Congress Party. Motilal’s contribution as a member of the party also furthered him into becoming the president of Congress twice. Nevertheless, Motilal Nehru was also father to India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
Born Name
Motilal Nehru
Nick Name
Motilal
Motilal Nehru as seen in a picture taken in circa the 1910s (Britannica / Public Domain)
Age
Motilal was born on August 22, 1861.
Died
Motilal died on February 6, 1931, at the age of 69 in Lucknow, United Provinces, British India.
Sun Sign
Virgo
Born Place
Agra, North-Western Provinces, British India
Nationality
Education
He studied at the Muir Central College at Allahabad. In 1883, he completed his course as a lawyer and after 3 years he went on to work his brother Nandlal.
Motilal Nehru in England to meet his son who was studying at Cambridge. From left – Krishna Kumari, Swarup Rani, Motilal Nehru, Sarup Kumari, Jawaharlal Nehru between October 1907 to 1910 (Wikimedia / Public Domain)
Motilal Nehru as seen in a picture taken in the 1920s (Britannica / Public Domain)
Motilal Nehru Facts
His father Gangadhar was a Kotwal in Delhi. However, in 1857, he and his family relocated to Agra in order to escape the brunt of the independence struggle.
He was born 3 months after the death of his father.
Motilal spent his formative years in Agra and later moved to Khetri where he was raised.
After the death of his father, Motilal and his mother were supported by his 2 older brothers.
Motilal was the patriarch of the third generation of the Nehru-Gandhi family.
His eldest brother Bansi worked with the judicial department of the British Government and his older brother Nandlal was the Diwan of the state of Khetri in Rajputana.
Nehru served as the President of Congress twice first being from 1919 to 1920 and for the second time from 1928 to 1929.
Motilal’s son Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who became the first Prime Minister of India on August 15, 1947, is also the longest Prime Minister in India with an incredible 17 years to his stint.
Motilal was the grandfather of renowned politician Indira Gandhi and great grandfather to politician Rajiv Gandhi.
It was his older brother Nandlal who educated Motilal. He along with his brother’s children became the first in Agra and Allahabad to receive Western-style college education.
After the death of his brother Nandlal at the age of 42, Motilal was forced to take care of his brother’s 5 sons and 2 daughters as he was the sole bread-earner. He was only 25 years old at the time.
In 1900, Motilal bought a big home for his entire family to reside in. It was named the Anand Bhavan.
Motilal was the founder of the Allahabad based newspaper The Independent. He started to oppose the already publishing newspaper The Leader.
According to sources, he was so influenced by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi that in 1918, he became the first person to replace his rich and western attire with a sober and traditional Indian look.
