Answer:
Children’s Day or Baal Diwas is celebrated on the 14th of November, on the birth anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. Jawaharlal Nehru was a member of the Indian National Congress and was a part of the long freedom struggle against the British. Among other things, Nehru was known to be fond of children. He was a strong believer in children’s education, and would often say that children are the future leaders of the nation. He stressed on the importance of grooming children to be good citizensof the country, and a good education was the way to achieve it. He also believed that to build a progressive nation, children should be provided ample opportunities to learn and grow. He was also very popular with children, who would lovingly call him Chacha or Uncle Nehru. After his death in 1964, an official resolution was passed in the parliament to declare his birthday as Children’s Day, as a way to remember his dream and work towards realising it.
In an attempt to keep Chacha Nehru’s vision alive, many organisations across the country celebrate Children’s Day every year with immense enthusiasm. On November 14, several people and officials gather at the statue where Pandit Nehru was cremated and pay homage to him. In schools, teachersorganise activities for children to commemorate the occasion. In some schools, the principal addresses the assembly with a speech on the importance of childhood and education. Teachers praise children and allow them free time during classes to play or do any activity they like. Some schools also organise cultural programmes that include a variety of fun activities. Some of these activities include dance and singing, plays and skits, sports competitions, essay and poem-writing competitions, debate competitions, etc. Schools often give students the freedom to wear colourful clothes instead of their uniforms on Children’s Day, which builds excitement in the air. Competitions are followed by prize distribution, and children are also given refreshments. These refreshmentsThese refreshments include snacks and finger food, along with sweets and beverages. Some schools organise fancy dress competitions where children are encouraged to dress up as their favourite characters and personalities.
