Kamala Nehru

Kamala Nehru

Kamala Kaul Nehru (1899–1936) was the wife of Jawaharlal Nehru - leader of the Indian National Congress and first Prime Minister of India. Kamala married Nehru on 7 February 1916.

Contribution to the Indian Freedom Movement

Born on 1 August 1899 and brought up in a traditional Kashmiri Brahmin family of old Delhi, Kamala was simple, quiet and unobtrusive .^{[citation needed]} She felt alienated amongst the more Westernized Nehrus.^{[citation needed]} It was only with the involvement of the Nehrus in the national movement, that she emerged into the forefront.^{[citation needed]} In the Non Cooperation movement of 1921, she organized groups of women in Allahabad and picketed shops selling foreign cloth and liquor. When her husband was arrested to prevent him delivering a "seditious" public speech, she went in his place to read it out. She was twice arrested by British authorities.

Family and Friends

Rajpati and Jawaharmal Kaul were Kamala Nehru's parents. Kamala, their eldest child, had two brothers, Chand Bahadur Kaul and the botanist, Kailas Nath Kaul, and a sister, Swaroop Kathju. In November 1917, Kamala gave birth to a daughter, Indira Priyadarshini, who later succeeded her father as prime minister and head of the Congress party. Kamala gave birth to a boy in November 1924, but he was premature and died 2 days later.

She spent some time at Gandhi's ashram with Kasturba Gandhi where she built a close friendship with Prabhavati Devi.

Death and Legacy

Kamala died from tuberculosis in Lausanne, Switzerland on 28 February 1936. Her daughter and her mother-in-law were by her side when she breathed her last. Kamala was cremated at the Lasagna Crematorium. A number of institutions in India, such as Kamla Nehru College, University of Delhi, Kamla Nehru Park, Kamla Nehru Hospital are named after her.

See also

• Political Families of The World