This coin was minted as a memorial to Jawaharlal Nehru, one of the most important leaders of the Indian Independence Movement, head of the Indian National Congress and the first Prime Minister of India in 1947.

As well as being one of the most important political leaders in modern Indian history, he was also the father of Indira Gandhi who would also become Prime Minister in 1966. and he is the Grandfather of Rajiv Gandhi who would hold that office as well from 1984 to 1989. Several of his relatives are still prominent political leaders and members of India parliament.