Daddy Dearest

Fathers Are Often Seen as Guides and Mentors Who Help Their Children Forge Their Path, and Hold a Light Up for Them When Starting Out. Fathers Are Often Their Children’s Biggest Supporters and Stern Critics, Too. On the Occasion of Father’s Day, We Look Back at Some of the Legacies Created by Men Who Were Legends in Their Own Right, and Better Examples as Fathers
 

- Yamini Vasudevan

Fathers play a crucial role in their children’s lives. They are often the first, and primary, disciplinarians in our lives; teachers in younger days and mentors in later years. An interesting point of view that is often brought up when fathers are discussed is the fact that they tend to set very high expectations for their children – almost as if they know deep within their children’s true potential and wait for the day when the latter would have achieved it. As American lawyer and politician Frank Clark said, “A father is a man who expects his son to be as good a man as he meant to be.” In line with Father’s Day (June 19), we celebrate and honour fathers worldwide. As a tribute, we look at some Indian fathers who not only set the bar high but also raised their children to be a shining example of the best in work and values.

Jawarhalal Nehru

India’s first Prime Minister; father of Indira Gandhi, India’s first lady Prime Minister

The first Prime Minister of India shared a deep bond with his daughter, Indira (née Indira Gandhi, who later became Indira’s first lady Prime Minister), and was determined to give her a well-rounded education. Undaunted by his frequent sojourns to prison, he began to write her letters in which he shared life lessons, wisdom gleaned from books and words of advice about how to tread in the world at large. In his first letter, which he began writing in the summer of 1928, Nehru talked about how life began in the universe. In the following letters, he touched on several topics, including languages, trade, history, geography, science, epics and evolution. In return, Indira shared her own thoughts, and the duo traded their views and recommendations on books.