Chapter 8
A Birthday Letter
20 Short Questions and Answers
1.Who wrote the letter?
Answer: Jawaharlal Nehru.
2.To whom is the letter addressed?
Answer: Indira Nehru.
3.From where was the letter sent?
Answer:Central Prison, Naini.
4.On what date was the letter written?
Answer:26 October 1930.
5.What occasion is the letter written for?
Answer:Indira’s birthday.
6.Can Nehru send material presents from prison?
Answer:No.
7.What kind of presents does Nehru offer?
Answer: Presents of the mind and spirit.
8.Who is referred to as “Bapuji” in the letter?
Answer: Mahatma Gandhi.
9.According to Nehru, how do men and women become soldiers of freedom?
Answer: By coming out of their shells and following Bapuji’s message.
10.What should one avoid according to Nehru?
Answer: Doing anything in secret or hiding anything.
11.Why is fear considered bad by Nehru?
Answer: It is unworthy of a brave person.
12.What is the key advice for private life?
Answer: Work in the light and be unafraid.
13.What will following his advice make Indira?
Answer: A child of the light, brave and serene.
14.What is Nehru’s main message in the letter?
Answer: Be honest, courageous, and work in the light.
15.Does Nehru believe in sermonizing?
Answer: No, he prefers discussion.
16.How does Nehru describe India’s Freedom Movement?
Answer: A great drama happening before their eyes.
17.Does Nehru think anyone has learned everything worth learning?
Answer: No.
19.What does Nehru wish for Indira?
Answer: To grow up into a brave soldier in India’s service.
20.How does Nehru feel about the magic of Bapuji’s message?
Answer: It has stolen the hearts of millions in India.
21.What closes the letter?
Answer: Love and good wishes from Jawaharlal Nehru.
20 Long Questions and Answers
1.Why does Nehru say he cannot send a material present from prison?
Answer: Nehru explains that being in prison, he cannot send solid or material gifts. Instead, he offers presents of the mind and spirit, which even the high walls of prison cannot stop.
2.How does Nehru suggest one can discover what is right or wrong?
Answer: He suggests that truth comes through discussion rather than sermonizing. By talking and exchanging ideas, one can gradually understand what should or should not be done.
3.What is the effect of Bapuji’s message according to Nehru?
Answer: message has inspired millions of men, women, and children in India to come out of their shells and dedicate themselves to the freedom struggle.
4.How does Nehru describe the historical moment in India?
Answer: He describes it as making history, with both Indira and he fortunate enough to witness and participate in this great drama of the Freedom Movement.
5.What is the significance of not doing anything in secret?
Answer: Nehru emphasizes that secrecy arises from fear, which is unworthy of a brave person. Being open and honest ensures courage and integrity in all actions.
6.How should one conduct their private life according to Nehru?
Answer: One should be like the sun, work in the light, and do nothing secretly. This will make a person unafraid, serene, and unruffled.
7.What metaphor does Nehru use to describe a courageous and honest life?
Answer: He refers to it as being “a child of the light,” which means living openly, bravely, and without fear.
8.How does Nehru connect personal behavior with the Freedom Movement?
Answer:He states that the same honesty, openness, and courage expected in the national struggle should also guide private life. There is no room for fear or secrecy in either.
9.Why does Nehru say that the letter cannot contain everything he wants to tell?
Answer: Because the depth of his thoughts and the advice he wishes to give are vast, and a single letter cannot fully capture all his hopes and guidance.
10.What role does discussion play in learning according to Nehru?
Answer:Discussion is a way to explore different viewpoints and gradually discover small truths, rather than blindly following advice or assuming one knows everything.
11.How does Nehru explain the idea of being unafraid?
Answer: He explains that courage means acting in the open, without hiding anything, and trusting oneself to face challenges with calmness and confidence.
12.What does Nehru hope Indira will become in the future?
Answer: He hopes she will grow up to be a brave soldier in the service of India, contributing to the nation’s freedom and progress.
13.How does Nehru describe the influence of Bapuji on children?
Answer: Children are inspired by Bapuji’s message to act courageously and become active participants in India’s fight for freedom.
14.Why does Nehru prefer discussion over giving advice?
Answer: Because discussion allows for mutual exchange of ideas and helps discover the truth naturally, whereas giving advice may not always be effective.
15.What does Nehru imply by “working in the light”?
Answer: It means being honest, transparent, and fearless in all actions, without any deceit or hiding.
16.How does Nehru relate fear to secrecy?
Answer: He implies that the desire to hide something is a form of fear, and fear is a negative quality that should be overcome.
17.Why does Nehru consider this period in India as historic?
Answer: Because the country is actively participating in the struggle for independence, and ordinary citizens like him and his daughter are part of shaping this history.
18.What lessons about character does Nehru give to Indira?
Answer: He teaches honesty, courage, bravery, transparency, and living in the light as essential traits for personal and national life.
19.How does Nehru show his affection for Indira in the letter?
Answer: Through gentle guidance, love, and good wishes, he combines fatherly advice with deep care for her growth and character.
20.Summarize the main message of Nehru’s birthday letter.
Answer: The main message is that one should live a life of honesty, courage, and integrity, working openly and fearlessly, while participating actively in the nation’s struggle for freedom. Personal virtues and national service are intertwined.
Answer by Mrinmoee
