New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, and Mahatma Gandhi are remembered as secular leaders. However, did you know that while Nehru accepted his daughter Indira's interfaith marriage, he did not approve of his sister Vijayalakshmi Pandit's love for a Muslim man?

Vijayalakshmi Pandit, a prominent political figure, secretly married Syed Hussain, a Muslim man, which caused a major rift in the Nehru family. After the marriage came to light, the family tried various ways to break the relationship.

Vijayalakshmi's Love Story
In Sheila Reddy's book "Mr. and Mrs. Jinnah: The Marriage that Shook India", the love story of Vijayalakshmi Pandit and Syed Hussain is detailed. Vijayalakshmi's father, Motilal Nehru, was so impressed by Syed Hussain that he appointed him as the editor of the Independent newspaper, which was based at their residence, Anand Bhavan.

The Meeting at Anand Bhavan
During their time at Anand Bhavan, Vijayalakshmi, then just 19, and Syed, 31, became close. Syed had studied in England, making him one of the few well-educated men in Allahabad at the time. Vijayalakshmi, drawn to the intellectual and charming Syed, fell in love with him. The two secretly married without Motilal Nehru's knowledge.

Family's Opposition to the Marriage
When Motilal Nehru found out about the marriage, he strongly opposed it. Jawaharlal Nehru also did not approve of the relationship. In her autobiography "Scope of Happiness", Vijayalakshmi wrote that she believed the family would accept the relationship, given the prevailing talk of Hindu-Muslim unity, but that was not to be.