| Great Leaders |
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| Biographies of Great Indians & Hindus |
MOTILAL NEHRU |
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| The Son
in England It was customary for aristocrats in England to send their children to the Harrow Public School. Motilal also decided to put his son in that school. Jawaharlal was then fifteen. Motilal went to England with his family and got his son admitted to Harrow Public School. After completing his studies in this school Jawahar joined Cambridge University. He passed in the second class. Then he studied in a law college and got a degree. The father thought that his son should study for the Indian Civil Service (I.C.S.) Examination. But for this Jawaharlal would have to stay in England for another two years. But the parents could not bear to be separated from their son so long.Moreover Indian students were treated unfairly at this Examination, because of color prejudice. For these reasons Motilal asked his son to return to India. Thousands of rupees had been spent on the son's education. Jawahar used to spend all the money sent to him. Once he lent some money to an Indian student who was in trouble. It was never paid back. So he was hard up for money. He wrote to his father asking for more money. The father got angry. He wrote back, "How did you spend so much money sent to you? Send me detailed accounts for six months. "The son also lost his temper. "Do you expect me to write down how much I spent on buses or trains, on books, and snacks? Should I account for every pie? I can't do it. If you have trust in me, send me money, otherwise, don't. I shall work as a porter even and earn my maintenance and complete my education," so he wrote back curtly. Motilal felt unhappy for having wounded his son's feelings with his letter. He spent a sleepless night. Finally he wrote to his son, "it is not that I want to leave you enormous property. Is it money or love, you shall never have to suffer for want of either. You alone are the most invaluable treasure for me in this world. What you may earn laboring hard throughout a year, I can earn in a day. For whom should I earn so much? Don't you worry? I shall send as much money as you want." And he sent the money. The son was dear as his own life. While studying in Cambridge Jawahar wrote to his father asking for a car. Motilal could easily afford it. But he had been reading in newspapers about car accidents. So he wrote back, I can get you a car. But I will be ever in anxiety haunted by the thought that you might meet with an accident. So do not think of a car now." |
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