Nehru was a visionary leader who turned dreams into reality: Satheesan

Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan at a lecture titled ‘India Surviving Through Nehru’, organised by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi in Thrissur on Saturday. Akademi president Kalpetta Narayanan is seen beside him on the dais.

Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, was a visionary leader who translated his dreams into reality through hard work, conviction and clear ideological principles, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said on Saturday.

Inaugurating the national lecture series, ‘India Surviving Through Nehru’, organised by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi as part of its 70th anniversary celebrations, at the Akademi’s M.T. auditorium, he said social justice was the central idea that shaped Nehru’s political vision.

“Nehru dreamed of a society where everyone was equal. His ideas remain timeless and have the power to illuminate even the darkest periods,” Mr. Satheesan said, delivering the inaugural lecture on Nehru’s birth anniversary.

Describing Nehru as an intellectual with an extraordinary understanding of world history, ideologies and civilisations, the Chief Minister said his literary brilliance was reflected in his celebrated work, The Discovery of India. Had he not entered politics, Nehru might well have been a Nobel laureate, he remarked.

“Only someone who dreams can lead a nation forward,” he said, adding that Nehru’s life was a sustained effort to translate his vision into reality through perseverance and determined action.

The freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru was distinct from other struggles for independence as it went beyond political freedom and the end of foreign rule. It was also a movement for social justice, aimed at bringing millions of people who had been denied their rights for centuries into the mainstream, he said.

Mr. Satheesan highlighted Nehru’s far-sighted contributions, including the Five-Year Plans, the establishment of Navratna public sector enterprises and cultural institutions such as the Sahitya Akademi.

“Fascist forces cannot erase Nehru from our collective consciousness, however hard they try. He was a leader who loved the people and held them close to his heart,” he said, emphasising that looking back at history was essential to understanding the way forward. Nehru was, above all, a staunch believer in democracy, he added.

The Chief Minister presented books to young writers, who reciprocated by gifting him their own works. He also planted an Elanji sapling in the Akademi premises in memory of Nehru and visited a literary exhibition featuring children’s books that had won the Akademi’s awards and children’s publications from earlier decades.

Akademi president Kalpetta Narayanan presided over the function. MLAs Rajan J. Pallan and V.T. Balram and Mayor Niji Justin attended as special guests. Flutist Guinness Murali presented a musical rendition of K. Satchidanandan’s poem on Nehru. Akademi secretary M.P. Surendran and writer Jomy P.L. also spoke.

The programme was organised in association with the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Scientific Temper.