Children's Day (Bal Diwas)
Next: November 14, 2026
A day that belongs to children.
The story
Where it comes from
India marks Children's Day, Bal Diwas, on 14 November, the birthday of Jawaharlal Nehru, the country's first prime minister, who was born in Allahabad in 1889. Children called him Chacha Nehru, 'Uncle Nehru', and he called them the 'future citizens'. Accounts of the date differ. Many sources say India used 20 November until Nehru died in 1964 and then moved the day to his birthday, yet India Post was already issuing Children's Day stamps on 14 November in 1957.
How it's celebrated
Schools turn the day over to their pupils, with parties, cultural competitions, games and picnics, and teachers and students often play together. Children are given sweets, books, stationery or toys. Painting and writing contests are popular too, and the day is used to remind adults that every child deserves care, schooling and a happy childhood.
Did you know
- India Post's first Children's Day stamps, issued on 14 November 1957, were a set of three on the themes of nutrition, education and recreation.
- Shankar's International Children's Competition, started in 1949 by the cartoonist K. Shankar Pillai, now receives about 160,000 paintings and writings from more than 160 countries, and its awards include Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Gold Medals.
- The UN's World Children's Day falls six days later, on 20 November.
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