PM Nehru’s 1961 trip to the US

Brut India

He was invited for dinner at the White House, spoke at the UN General Assembly, and interacted with the diaspora… This was Prime Minister Nehru in 1961.

Transcript

00:00The two world leaders and the two first ladies will continue to become better acquaintances.

00:05There is no neutralist bloc. Secondly, I'm not the leader of anybody.

00:13On November 6, 1961, Newport is the first meeting place in America of Prime Minister Jawaharlal

00:19Nehru and President John F. Kennedy. The Prime Minister's daughter, Mrs. Indira Gandhi,

00:26is warmly welcomed by President Kennedy, and Ambassador to India John Galbraith greets a

00:32familiar friend. A group of Indian students from nearby Brown University welcomes the

00:38distinguished visitors. Mr. President, Mrs. Kennedy, I feel deeply honored and happy

00:51to be here again and to receive this great welcome from you.

01:01More particularly, not for the formal side of it, but for the friendship which animated

01:09your words. You have been good enough in the past also to refer to my country

01:18in terms which evoked a warm response in our hearts.

01:22I'm grateful to you, sir, for your warm welcome and to Mrs. Kennedy also.

01:35Later that evening, the Prime Minister and his daughter arrive at the White House to be greeted

01:39by President and Mrs. Kennedy, who have arranged an intimate and informal dinner,

01:45during which the two world leaders and the two first ladies will continue to become better

01:50acquainted. Several hours later, the President and Prime Minister emerge to tell the press that

02:06the free and very frank discussions had progressed well and covered a wide range of topics from the

02:12protection of free and independent states to the control of nuclear testing. The nearby

02:17District of Columbia Children's Hospital is host to Mrs. Indira Gandhi. She meets young Jane

02:25Franzella, a polio victim who is being given treatment in the modern whirlpool tank. This

02:31visit is a very special occasion for Jane, who has created a picture of a Japanese woman to give to

02:38the distinguished visitor. The gift is warmly admired and appreciated to the joy and delight of

02:47young Jane. On the next day of the Prime Minister's visit, Mr. Nero is guest of the National Press

02:54Club, where several hundred correspondents of the national and world press have gathered

02:59to greet and listen to one of the world's most newsworthy figures.

03:03First question, as the acknowledged leader of the neutralist bloc of nations,

03:07what is your opinion of the continued nuclear blasting by the USSR?

03:12Well, the answer is there is no neutralist bloc. Secondly, I'm not the leader of anybody.

03:18If you like, my people have done me the honor of putting me in a very responsible position in India,

03:24so I can claim to speak on behalf of India. As for the resumption of nuclear tests by the Soviet

03:30Union, I have often stated that I have thought it a very harmful, disastrous thing.

04:31Now, of course, I think it's a good thing, but I also think it's a good thing, too,

04:37because, you know, it's a very good thing. But, you know, I don't think it's a good thing,

04:43but I think it's a very good thing, because, you know, I think it's a very good thing.

Category

Transcript

Recommended