Jawaharlal Nehru, first Prime Minister of India Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. As a student of Natural Sciences, Nehru had to study Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. He was very weak in Mathematics and as such was permitted on request to study another science subject in lieu of Mathematics. Which subject did he opt for instead?

Answer: Botany

Pt.Motilal Nehru, a prosperous barrister, sent his son Jawaharlal Nehru to England with a view to make him an I.C.S. (Indian Civil Service) officer. Nehru studied Natural sciences at Trinity College, Cambridge. He also completed a degree in Law from the Inner Temple. Natural Sciences comprised Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Nehru, however, was permitted to study Botany in lieu of Mathematics on request.

2. It is a more or less known fact that Mahatma Gandhi used the concept of a 'Non-Violence movement' for attaining the independence of India. He was nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize, but failed to win. A less known fact is that Nehru was also nominated for the same award. How many times was Nehru nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize?

Answer: 11 times

Like his political Guru Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize many times, the first being in 1955. He was nominated altogether 11 times by both national and international agencies. It's a matter of regret that he could not prove luckier than his Guru Gandhi in this regard.

3. India won freedom on the 15th August 1947. Who hoisted the National flag of independent India at the Red Fort (Lal Killa) in Delhi for the first time?

Answer: Jawaharlal Nehru

India won independence on the 15th August, 1947. Pt. Nehru became the first Prime Minister of independent India. By virtue of his official designation he got the opportunity to hoist the national flag of independent India at the Red Fort for the first time.

4. In India, 14th November, the date of birth of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, is celebrated as the 'Children's Day'. On which date is 'Children's day' celebrated internationally?

Answer: 20th November

Children's Day is celebrated internationally on the 20th November following the decision of the UN General Assembly in 1959. The celebration started in the month of October, 1954. At the time of adoption of the Declaration of 'the Rights of the Child' by the United Nations General Assembly in 1959, 20th October was selected because it marked the anniversary of the day. Again, the Convention on the 'Rights of the Child' was also signed on the same date in 1989.

5. Jawaharlal Nehru penned two important books. The first one is 'The Discovery of India'. Can you name the second?

Answer: Glimpses of World History

Jawaharlal was an extra-ordinary scholar. The term Pundit which is used as his surname does not mean scholar. It is simply because of his inheritance from a Kashmiri Pundit family but he became a pundit (Pandit in Sanskrit=scholar) in the true sense of the term through his study and creative intelligence. Both the books reveal his in-depth knowledge on India as well as the world. Glimpses of World History was in reality a collection of 146 letters written to his only daughter Indira, who became the 3rd Prime Minister of India.

6. Jawaharlal Nehru used to refer to one of his Kashmiri friends as his 'Blood-brother'. Can you name the correct personality?

Answer: Sheikh Abdullah

Sheikh Abdullah met Nehru, the leader of the Indian National Congress in 1937 for the first time. He was a leader of the 'All India States Peoples' Conference' at that time and his party was agitating against Maharaja Hari Sing, the ruler of the princely state of Kashmir, for a representative people's government. There developed an intimate friendship between the two.

7. Shyam Benegal, the popular Indian filmmaker created a very fine TV serial named 'Bharat Ek Khoj' in 1988. The serial was based on a memorable book written by Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru. What was the name of that book?

Answer: The Discovery of India

'The Discovery of India' was written by India's first Prime Minister Nehru during his imprisonment in 1942 -1946 at Ahmednagar fort. It was published in 1946. The monumental book is considered a classic in Indian English literature. It covers not only an in-depth study of Indian History, Indian Philosophy but also the cultural heritage of India in general. Shyam Benegal, the popular Indian film maker created a very fine TV serial of 53 episodes named 'Bharat Ek Khoj' in 1988.

8. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of Independent India. Two other members of his family occupied the same position historically. Who was the first of these to hold the post?

Answer: Mrs Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi was the only child of Pt. Nehru. Nehru. Two years after his death, she became the 3rd Prime Minister of India in 1966. She was assassinated by her own bodyguards on 31 October 1984.

9. Which of the following personalities was not a contemporary of Pandit Nehru?

Answer: Michael Madhusudan Dutt

Michael Madhusudan Dutt was a great Bengali poet of the 19th century. He was the originator of modern Bengali Sonnet. He introduced 'Blank Verse' in Bengali poetry. His meteoric life and works resembled to that of Christopher Marlowe in English literature. He died on 29 June, 1873. Jawaharlal Nehru and all the other three personalities were men of the 20th Century.

10. Nehru died of a heart attack on 27th May 1964. The gun carriage used for his state funeral was later used for the state funeral of another international personality who glorified India by her missionary zeal. Can you identify the name of that personality?

Answer: Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa was a Roman Catholic nun. She was an Albanian by birth. She took Indian citizenship and founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta (Kolkata) in 1950. Pope John Paul 11 gave her the title 'Blessed Teresa of Calcutta'. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and died in 1997.

11. If you have seen a photograph of Jawaharlal Nehru, then you might have noticed a special object worn at the chest button-hole of his coat. What is that thing?

Answer: A red rose

Jawaharlal Nehru was known to the children as 'Chacha Nehru'. He loved children and considered them as the future of the nation. He even compared children to the buds of roses. He always used to keep a 'red rose' at the button-hole of his coat.

12. While a student at Harrow School in England, Nehru was given a nickname. What was that nickname?

Answer: Joe Nehru

Jawaharlal Nehru studied at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge. He did his Bachelor of Law from Inner Temple. The handsome young man from India was very much loved and admired by his fellow students. They affectionately addressed him as Joe Nehru.

13. Nehru penned an autobiography which was published in the USA in 1936. What was its title?

Answer: Toward Freedom

Nehru was a prolific writer. He penned his autobiography while in prison from June 1934 to February 1935. The title was 'Toward Freedom'. It was published in the USA in 1936. It was a brilliant book in fine and lucid English.

14. At the age of 26 Nehru married a girl of 16, on the 7th of February 1916. What was the name of his wife?

Answer: Kamala Kaul

At the age of 26, Nehru married a 16 years old Kashmiri Brahmin girl named Kamala Kaul(1899-1936).Her father was a reputed businessman in Old Delhi.Rajpati and Jawaharmal Kaul were her parents.The marriage took place on the 7th of February 1916.She died from tuberculosis in Lausanne,Switzerland on 28 February 1936.

15. When Nehru became the Prime Minister of independent India, he delivered an inaugural address to the Nation which has been given a special name. What is that name?

Answer: A Tryst with Destiny

'A Tryst with Destiny' was the name given to the historic speech delivered by Nehru on the night of Indian independence. It was a land mark oration in which Nehru highlighted the victory of Indian people in their freedom struggle after one hundred years of ceaseless non-violent fight. Nehru delivered the speech on the night of August 14th and 15th, 1947.

Source: Author indranil49

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor stedman before going online.
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Jawaharlal Nehru was a man of versatile personality. He was a leader of the Indian freedom movement and became the first Prime Minister of an independent India. He was a great scholar also. His date of birth is celebrated as the Children's Day in India.

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