Thanks to non-alignment, decolonisation and India’s iconic freedom struggle, Jawaharlal Nehru is a globally familiar and celebrated name. However, in addition to his historical significance, there is a need to know more about him as a political actor given his indelible impact on India’s institutional and psychological make-up. Till today, Nehru’s legacy continues to shape the contours of Indian politics. The book traces the political origins of the Panchasheela Agreement with China, the Hindu Code Bills and the founding of the Planning Commission. These three key policies, closely associated with Nehru, all took place during the 1950s, a crucial phase in India’s modern history when the country’s political institutions were being tested on various fronts. Each policy provides a window into the compulsions of Indian domestic politics at the time, the parameters of parliamentary debate, the imprint of Nehru’s ideas and worldview. Controversy has surrounded each of the three and they have gone on to play an important role in framing Indian domestic politics as well as foreign policy.