Children’s Day is celebrated across India to raise and enhance awareness of the rights, care, and education of children. It is celebrated on 14 November every year as a tribute to the birthday of India’s First Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Known as Chacha Nehru among children, Nehru has strongly advocated for children to have all-rounded education that would build a better society in the future. Nehru advocated the idea that children as a real strength of a nation and the foundation of society. On this day, many educational and motivational programs are held across India for children.
Government Issues Guidelines For PM Cares For Children Scheme
History of Children’s Day
The celebration of Children’s Day in India dates back to 1956. Prior to the death of Pandit Nehru, India observes Universal Children’s Day which was initiated by the United Nations. After the death of Jawaharlal Nehru, his birth anniversary was chosen to be celebrated as Children’s Day in India. A resolution was passed in the parliament to give a befitting farewell to the first Prime Minister of India.
Nehru took numerous initiatives for the development of education of children and students of any age. He established the Children’s Film Society India, a nodal organization of the Government of India, which produces children’s films in 1955 so that Indian children could see themselves represented. He enabled the establishment of some very prominent educational institutions in India. It was his vision that led to the establishment of AIIMS for medicine, the IITs for engineering, and the IIMs for management studies. Nehru’s legacy continues to educate the children of India.
On this day, children are the center of attraction during this day and many schools throw a party on this day to make children feel special.
In November 2018, Google’s doodle on Children’s Day was designed to depict a child looking at a sky dotted with stars with a telescope. Crafted by a student from Mumbai, the design had won the 2018 ‘Doodle 4 Google’ competition in India for her fascination with space exploration.
Controversy
In 2018, after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, sixty BJP MPs have requested him to designate 26 December as the new Children’s Day in India.