Nobel Prize

Indians have made notable contributions to the Nobel Prize arena, marking their presence across diverse fields. Rabindranath Tagore initiated Indian achievements by securing the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913, becoming the first non-European to receive this honor. Subsequently, luminaries like CV Raman in Physics, Mother Teresa for Peace, Amartya Sen in Economics, and Kailash Satyarthi for advocating children's rights have been recognized. Beyond Indian citizens, individuals like Har Gobind Khorana, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, and Abhijit Banerjee, born in India but later citizens elsewhere, have significantly impacted Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, and Economics, respectively. The Nobel Prize, symbolizing global recognition, stands as a prestigious acknowledgment of exceptional contributions in science, literature, peace, and economics.

The Nobel Prize constitutes a collection of international honors bestowed upon individuals for exceptional contributions to cultural, academic, and scientific progress. The awards were instituted in 1895 by the Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel and the first prizes were granted in 1901. Since then, numerous individuals have received this prestigious accolade. The awards are administered by Swedish and Norwegian institutions and the prizes are awarded annually on December 10th, commemorating accomplishments and encouraging further progress. Recognizing excellence in six diverse fields — Literature, Physics, Chemistry, Economic Sciences, Peace, and Medicine — the Nobel Prize remains a symbol of global recognition for outstanding achievements.

At Nobel Prize Ceremony, each Laureate(Award Winner) receives:

• Nobel Medal: A gold medal featuring the image of Alfred Nobel on the face side and a relevant allegorical motif on the reverse side. The medal varies in size and design depending on the category of the Nobel Prize.
• Nobel Diploma: A certificate or diploma that includes the laureate's name, the title of their work, and a citation summarizing their contributions. The diploma is often signed by the members of the respective Nobel Committee.
• Nobel Prize Money: A monetary award accompanying the Nobel Prize, the amount of which varies from year to year and by category. The Nobel Foundation determines the prize amount for each category. As of 2023, the Nobel Prize monetary award is 11,000,000 SEK (1,061,846 USD).
• A prize may not be shared among more than three individuals, although the Nobel Peace Prize can be awarded to organisations of more than three people.
• Nobel Prizes are not awarded posthumously, but if a person is awarded a prize and dies before receiving it, the prize is presented.

Indians have made notable strides in the Nobel Prize arena. Rabindranath Tagore secured the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 and marked the initiation of Indian achievements. Subsequently, numerous distinguished individuals from India have been acknowledged as Nobel Prize laureates. From India, 9 individuals have been awarded the prize, including five who were Indian citizens and four with Indian lineage.

Indian Citizens

1. Rabindranath Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 for his collection of poems titled "Gitanjali". This made him the first Asian, and non-European, to receive a Nobel Prize. His literary legacy extended beyond poetry to encompass essays, plays, and songs. Tagore's verses, expressing profound spiritual insights and a universalist outlook, resonated globally.
2. Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman(CV Raman) was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for his groundbreaking work on the scattering of light. His discovery, famously known as the "Raman Effect," demonstrated that when light traverses a transparent material, a small fraction of the scattered light changes in frequency. This groundbreaking finding confirmed the quantum nature of light and opened new avenues in the field of molecular and atomic physics. Raman's Nobel Prize-winning research solidified his reputation as a pioneering scientist and marked a significant contribution to the understanding of light and matter interactions.
3. Mother Teresa, born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her tireless humanitarian work. The founder of the Missionaries of Charity, she dedicated her life to aiding the sick and impoverished in Kolkata, India, and later globally. Known for her compassion, she provided essential services, including hospices, orphanages, and soup kitchens. The Nobel Committee acknowledged her selfless efforts, stating that she embodied the "struggle for a truly human existence" and her work had transcendent significance. Mother Teresa's Nobel Prize recognized her exceptional commitment to alleviating human suffering and promoting peace through practical acts of love and kindness.
4. Amartya Sen was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1998 for his contributions to welfare economics. Born in 1933, Sen's groundbreaking work challenged traditional economic theories by emphasizing the importance of individual well-being and capabilities. His influential concept of "capabilities approach" considers the real freedoms people have to lead valued lives. Sen's research on poverty, famine, and social justice has had a profound impact on global development policies. The Nobel Committee recognized him for redefining the focus of economic research and bringing ethical considerations into the discourse, fundamentally shaping modern development economics.
5. Kailash Satyarthi is an Indian child rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In 2014, he was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with Malala Yousafzai for their courageous efforts in advocating for children's rights and their struggle against the suppression of young people and children. Satyarthi has dedicated his life to combating child labor and promoting access to education for all children. Through his organization, Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement), he has rescued numerous children from forced labor and exploitation, working to raise awareness globally about the plight of child laborers and the need for their emancipation

1. Har Gobind Khorana, born in 1922 in India, was a biochemist and Nobel laureate known for his groundbreaking work in the field of genetics. He was awarded the 1968 Nobel Prize in Medicine with Marshall Nirenberg and Robert Holley for their interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis. Khorana's contributions were pivotal in deciphering the genetic code, revealing how the nucleotide sequence of DNA dictates the order of amino acids in proteins. His work laid the foundation for advancements in molecular biology and our understanding of how genetic information is translated into the structure and function of proteins.
2. Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, born in 1910 in India, was an astrophysicist renowned for his groundbreaking contributions to understanding the structure and evolution of stars. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1983, he shared it with William A. Fowler for their collaborative work on the physical processes essential to the structure and evolution of stars. Chandrasekhar's groundbreaking work included the theory of white dwarf stars, demonstrating that there is a limit (now known as the Chandrasekhar limit) beyond which a white dwarf will collapse into a neutron star or a black hole. His legacy significantly advanced our comprehension of stellar dynamics.
3. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, born in 1952 in Chidambaram, India, is a structural biologist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2009. He shared the prize with Thomas A. Steitz and Ada E. Yonath for their remarkable contributions to elucidating the structure and function of the ribosome, a cellular organelle essential for protein synthesis. Ramakrishnan's work, particularly using X-ray crystallography, provided detailed insights into the complex architecture of the ribosome. His groundbreaking research not only deepened our understanding of fundamental cellular processes but also held implications for the development of antibiotics targeting bacterial ribosomes.
4. Abhijit Banerjee, born in 1961 in Mumbai, India, is an esteemed economist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2019. He shared the prize with Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty. Banerjee, a professor at MIT, has made significant contributions to development economics, particularly in the areas of education, health, and access to finance. His research involves conducting field experiments to understand the effectiveness of various policies and interventions. Banerjee's work has had a profound impact on shaping evidence-based policies aimed at improving the lives of the poor and marginalized communities worldwide.

The Nobel Prize carries substantial significance, prestige and acknowledgment. It stands as one of the most esteemed global awards, highly regarded in science, literature, peace, and economics. Its worth exceeds monetary considerations and symbolises the utmost honor given to individuals for extraordinary contributions and accomplishments.