During the 1962 India-China war, then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru appealed to citizens to donate gold and money to the National Defence Fund, which had been set up that year to support the defence effort and welfare of armed forces personnel and their families.
The government launched a nationwide campaign asking Indians to contribute as tensions with China escalated after the war in Ladakh.
The campaign praised the public response to Nehru's appeal. "The response was magnificent. We gave generously...with all our heart...for we realised that no sacrifice is too great for freedom."
Among those who contributed during the 1962 war effort was Indira Gandhi, who reportedly donated 367 grams of her gold jewellery.