Jawaharlal Nehru (14 November 1889 - 27 May 1964) was an Indian statesman who was the first prime minister of India, having served from 1947 until 1964. A leading figure in the Indian independence movement, Nehru was elected by the Congress party to assume office as independent India's first Prime Minister, and later when the Congress won India's first general election in 1952. As one of the founders of the Non-aligned Movement, he was also an important figure in the international politics of the post-war era. He is frequently referred to as Pandit Nehru, 'pandit' being a Sanskrit and Hindi honorific meaning 'scholar' or 'teacher'.