Nobel Peace Prize 2024 Awarded to Nihon Hidankyo

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR PRELIMS

What is the Nobel Prize?

The Nobel Prize, established by Alfred Nobel's will, recognizes outstanding contributions across various fields, including Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Peace, and Economic Sciences. The selection process involves a detailed nomination and evaluation system carried out by specific Nobel committees.

Notable Laureates

Historically significant figures have received Nobel Prizes, including:

1. Albert Einstein (Physics)
2. Martin Luther King Jr. (Peace)
3. Rabindranath Tagore (Literature)

Notably, figures like Mahatma Gandhi were nominated multiple times but never awarded. In an ironic twist, Adolf Hitler was once nominated for the Peace Prize as a form of satirical criticism.

How are Nobel Prize Winners Selected?

1. Nomination Process

1. Eligibility: Various groups are eligible to nominate candidates depending on the prize category:
   1. Peace Prize: Heads of state, members of national assemblies, and government officials.
   2. Economic Sciences: Permanent professors in relevant fields from universities in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway.
   3. Other categories typically include former laureates and university professors.
2. Nobel Committees: Each prize is overseen by a specific Nobel committee appointed by the responsible institution, such as:
   1. Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences: Physics and Chemistry.
   2. Karolinska Institutet: Physiology or Medicine.
   3. Swedish Academy: Literature.
   4. Norwegian Parliament: Peace Prize.

2. Evaluation Process

1. Assessment: The Nobel committees review hundreds of nominations, creating a shortlist with the help of subject experts known as permanent advisers.
2. Discussion: The committee evaluates candidates based on expert reports and deliberates on the most suitable choices.
3. Decision: A decision is typically reached by September, aiming for unanimity. If consensus is not achievable, a simple majority vote determines the winner.

Institutions Responsible for Nobel Prizes

1. Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences: Physics and Chemistry, Economics.
2. Karolinska Institutet: Medicine.
3. Swedish Academy: Literature.
4. Norwegian Parliament: Peace Prize.

Origins of the Nobel Prize

1. Alfred Nobel: A Swedish inventor and scientist, Nobel held over 300 patents, with dynamite being the most famous. His vast fortune led him to establish the prizes through his will, which sought to reward excellence and contributions to humanity.
2. Peace Prize Motivation: The motivation behind Nobel's decision to create a Peace Prize remains somewhat unclear. Nobel had a rich literary background, owning a significant library of fiction, philosophy, and history.
3. Economics Prize: Introduced later in 1968, funded by a donation from Sveriges Riksbank on its 300th anniversary.