In modern Indian history, in which year was Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India, born?

Introduction / Context:
Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of independent India and a central figure in the freedom struggle as well as post independence nation building. Exam questions often ask his birth year because it anchors his life and political career in a clear time frame. Knowing when he was born helps students understand how he belonged to a generation that lived through both colonial rule and the transition to independence.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks for the birth year of Jawaharlal Nehru.
• It specifies that he later became the first Prime Minister of independent India.
• Options list several years spread across the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries.
• Exactly one of these years matches his actual birth date.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is to recall basic biographical facts about Nehru that are commonly taught in school. Nehru was born on 14 November 1889 in Allahabad, in a prominent Kashmiri Brahmin family. This date is celebrated as Children's Day in India. By matching the year 1889 with the options, we can quickly identify the correct answer. The other years are included as distractors and correspond either to unrelated events or simply to nearby decades.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Nehru's birthday is observed on 14 November, popularly celebrated as Children's Day in India. Step 2: Remember that the year of his birth is 1889, which places him in the late nineteenth century. Step 3: Examine the options and locate the year 1889 among the alternatives given. Step 4: Check that other years like 1789, 1839, 1899, or 1939 do not match his known birth year. Step 5: Mark 1889 as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification is simple, as all reliable biographies and history textbooks give 14 November 1889 as Nehru's date of birth. School calendars and national celebrations of Children's Day also refer to this date and year. Since there is no serious historical dispute about his birth year, any standard reference will confirm 1889. This makes the question a straightforward test of memory rather than interpretation.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The year 1789 predates Nehru by a full century and is more commonly associated with the French Revolution. The year 1839 also belongs to an earlier generation and does not match Nehru's known life span. The year 1899 would make him much younger than the generation that led the freedom struggle in the early twentieth century, which contradicts historical timelines. The year 1939 is far too late and is actually close to the beginning of the Second World War, when Nehru was already an established leader. Hence, all these alternative years are incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse Nehru's birth year with those of other leaders or mix up the dates of important events such as independence or the adoption of the Constitution. Another pitfall is to assume that because Children's Day is celebrated every year, the exact year of birth is less important, leading to careless guesses. To avoid such errors, learners should memorise basic biographical details of key leaders, including birth and death years, in a small table for quick revision.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is 1889.