A Birthday Letter

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Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru wrote the letter to his daughter Indira. He wrote it from Central Prison, Naini, on October 26, 1930, when she was turning 13.

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He was imprisoned in Naini Prison by the British, so he could not send a physical present. Instead, he sent a letter full of love, guidance, and blessings.

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He means that from prison he cannot send physical gifts. His gift is of the mind and spirit, such as thoughts, advice, and good wishes, which are still valuable.

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He prefers discussion rather than lecturing. He believes that talking and discussing help people find truth better than giving sermons.

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A letter cannot replace a real conversation because only one person speaks at a time. It does not allow immediate reply, question, or discussion like a talk does.

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Nehru says that the best way to know what is right is to discuss matters honestly. He also gives a simple test: never do anything in secret or anything that one would wish to hide.

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Fear is linked with hiding things. Nehru says that if a person wants to hide an action, it means fear is present, and fear is not worthy of a brave and honest person.

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It teaches that courage is the base of good conduct. When a person is brave, truthfulness, confidence, and right action naturally follow.