Children’s Day Celebrations: Things you must know about ‘Bal Diwas’

In India, Children’s Day is celebrated every year on November 14 on the birth anniversary of the first Indian Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who was also called popularly as Chacha Nehru. The Bal Diwas as it is known popularly is an homage to Nehru who strongly advocated children’s rights and education. Nehru always stressed that an inclusive education system is extremely important if a nation wants to prosper.

He always stressed the importance of children’s future and how it is important for the foundation of society. And to make sure that children get priority at every level he established the Children’s Film Society India that can represent Indian children.

First Children’s Day was observed as “Flower Day” on November 5, 1948, by the Indian Council of Child Welfare (ICCW) in order to raise funds for the United Nations Appeal for Children (UNAC) by selling flower tokens. Later on for a few years in India the Children’s Day was celebrated on November 20 which is World Children’s Day. However, after the death of Nehru in 1964, a resolution was passed in the Indian Parliament to celebrate Nehruji’s birthday as the Children’s Day every year.

The day is celebrated in schools and educational institutions organising programmes and events to pamper children and offer them a platform to showcase their creativity and talent. In many schools competitions such as debating, eloquence, painting, dancing, quiz, and singing are held. Even the state governments encourage such programmes and declare scholarships and gifts for students who score good numbers.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru believed that the children of today will make a better tomorrow. That is very true because if the children are well educated, confident, and strong they can shape the country’s future in a better way and contribute to the overall economy and progress of the nation.