Nehru-Gandhi family

The Nehru-Gandhi (नेहरू-गान्धी परिवार) family is a political dynasty in India, which has been dominant in the Indian National Congress for much of India's independent history. Three members of the family have been Prime Minister of India, and two of these have been assassinated. A fourth member of the family, Sonia Gandhi, is President of the Congress party and was Leader of the Opposition from 1999-2004.

Origins

The Nehru family is of Kashmiri Brahmin descent. The name "Nehru" is derived from the Hindi "nehar" meaning canal. Pandit Raj Kaul was the ancestor of Jawaharlal Nehru who moved to Delhi from Kashmir at the behest of the then Mughal emperor Farrukhsiar in the early 18th century. A "jagir" (estate) with a house on the banks of a canal was presented to Raj Kaul by the emperor, as it was the custom in those days to donate land to Brahmin scholars (Raj Kaul was a scholar of Persian and Sanskrit). Because of the canal, the family came to be known as Kaul-Nehrus. Later Kaul was dropped and the surname became "Nehru". Jawaharlal's grandfather, Ganga Dhar Nehru was the kotwal or constable of Delhi for some time. After the 1857 mutiny, the Nehru family moved to Allahabad, and settled there.

Related Topics:
Kashmiri - Brahmin - Mughal emperor - Farrukhsiar - Sanskrit - Allahabad

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The family's political fortunes were founded by Motilal Nehru (1861-1931), who was a prominent lawyer and early activist in the Indian independence movement. Motilal was succeeded as President of the Congress by his son, Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964), in 1929. Jawaharlal then became the most prominent Indian nationalist

Related Topics:
Motilal Nehru - 1861 - 1931 - Jawaharlal Nehru - 1889 - 1964 - 1929

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leader, in close alliance with the movement's spiritual leader, Mohandas Gandhi (who was not related to the Nehru-Gandhi family).

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