Nobel Prize is one of the most prestigious awards of the World. The world holds this Prize in a special place in its heart, and so people celebrate it on the 10th of December every year, worldwide. They give this prize to those legends who have made incredible contributions in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature, and Peace. The main aim of this prize is to recognize those who, through their work, have conferred the greatest benefit to the humankind.

This day is a tribute to the vision of Alferd Nobel, the Swedish inventor and philanthropist, whose will establish the Nobel Prizes in 1895. As always, they will award the prizes in Stockholm, Sweden, with the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony taking place in Oslo, Norway.

The Man Behind this- Alfred Nobel

Alfred Nobel was

• Born: 21 October 1833
• Died: 10 December 1896
• Known for: Inventing Dynamite and holder of 355 patents
• Professions: Chemist, Inventor, Engineer, Entrepreneur, Author
• Will: Left 31 million Swedish Kronor (SEK) to find the prizes

Alfred Nobel (1833–1896) was a Swedish inventor, engineer, and industrialist best known for inventing dynamite. Despite the success of his invention, the use of it in warfare troubled Nobel. After reading his own premature obituary in 1888, which condemned him as the “merchant of death,” Nobel sought to leave a positive legacy. In his 1895 will, he established the Nobel Prizes to honor those who “conferred the greatest benefit to humankind” in Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature, and Peace. The prizes were first awarded in 1901, five years after his death. Nobel’s legacy lives on through the Nobel Prizes, which continue to recognize groundbreaking achievements. His life reflects a journey from invention to reflection on the power of knowledge and its impact on humanity.

Nobel Prize winners

Every year in the first week of October, the winners are announced. Then on 10 December of every year, the award ceremonies took place in the Swedish Capital of Stockholm at the Nigerian Capital of Oslo.

Some Winners of 2023 are:

1. In Physiology or Medicine 2023

Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman (University of Pennsylvania, USA) have shared the Nobel Prize in Medicine, 2023 for their discoveries regarding nucleoside base modification.

2. Nobel Prize in Physics, 2023

Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier have shared the award for experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of the light for the study of electrons dynamics in matter.

3. Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2023

For the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots, The Prize in Chemistry, 2023, has been given to Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus, and Alexi I. Ekimov.

4. Nobel Prize in Literature, 2023

In Literature, this prize was awarded to Norwegian author and dramatist, Jon Fosse for his “innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable.”

5. Nobel Prize in Peace, 2023

They gave the Nobel Peace Prize to Narges Mohammadi for her fight against the discriminatory policy of the theocratic Iran’s regime towards women.

6. Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, 2023

This award was awarded to Claudia Goldin for working on the “women’s labour market outcomes.”

Nobel Prize Winners in India

Indians too have made significant contributions and therefore, have succeeded in getting this honour.

Rabindranath Tagore is the first Indian to receive the Nobel prize in 1913.

Some of the Indians who receive this award are:

1. Rabindranath Tagore (1913): He received Nobel prize in literature for his book, Geetanjali.
2. Mother Teresa (1979): Mother Teresa received Nobel Peace prize “for her work to bring help to suffering humanity”.
3. Sir CV Raman (1930): His research on the Raman Effect, or the scattering of monochromatic light through a transparent medium, has made him renowned.
4. Har Gobind Khorana (1968): He shared this prize in Medicine with Marshall W. Nirenberg and Robert Q. Holley “for their interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis”.
5. Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (1983): Chandrasekhar shared the Nobel Prize in physics with nuclear astrophysicist W.A. Fowler “for his theoretical studies of the Physical processes of the importance of stricture and evolution of the stars.”
6. Amartya Sen (1998): He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his contributions to welfare in Economics”.
7. Venkat Ramakrishnan (2009): He shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Ada E. Yonath and Thomas A. Steitz “for studies of the structure and functin of the ribosome”.
8. Kailash Satyaethi (2014): Children’s rights advocate Kailash Satyarthi received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. “For bringing attention to the grave exploitation of children for financial gain.”
9. Abhijit Banerjee (2019): In 2019, they awarded Abhijit Banerjee, along with Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer. This prize in Economic Sciences “for their experimental approach to eliminating global poverty.”

Conclusion

Nobel Prize Day also provides an opportunity for reflection on the issues that define our times and for hope that, through the work of these exceptional individuals, positive change is possible. The laureates’ stories often inspire people worldwide to pursue their passions and contribute to society in meaningful ways.

As December 10, 2024, draws nearer, people will inevitably focus on who will be honored and the significance of their work in shaping the future. This Day remains an occasion to celebrate human achievement, progress, and the endless potential of innovation in science, peace, literature, and the global economy.

Read also: Nobel Prizes from an Indian Perspective