Prime Minister Nehru (above), with daughter Indira Gandhi (below), 1956, hearing their voices recorded and played back.
There are many who believe that Jawaharlal Nehru had given up drinking all together after gaining prominence in the Congress Party, but this very clearly was not the case. Prime Minister Nehru did drink alcohol and was not vegetarian, this was also the case with his daughter Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. However, neither was a drunkard. It was well known in many circles that Prime Minister Indira Gandhi liked smoked Salmon sandwiches which Air India knew all too well and they were often kept on board. In those days the Prime Minister would fly first class often sharing the First Class Seats with other passengers. There were eight seats in that configuration in the 1960s and 1970s. Prime Minister Nehru and his daughter Indira did not receive the same lectures from Mahatma Gandhi that other Congress leaders did about vegetarianism and its absolute need to create a mind over matter effect. While these are the facts many wish to over exaggerate them. The truth is that Prime Minister Nehru drank when he wished, and at the time the press even if it did know about this this, never cared much about it. The idea of intruding on personal matters had not yet gained ground and ability. At the time images were managed and alcohol, meat and other dietary choices which could offend many in the Indian public were simply not shown.
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