India, known for its rich cultural heritage and diversity, has made significant contributions to the fields of science, literature, and peace. Over the years, several eminent Indian personalities have been recognized and honored with the prestigious Nobel Prize, a recognition given to individuals who have made remarkable contributions to their respective fields. From legendary poets to pioneering scientists and peace activists, Indian Nobel laureates have left an indelible mark in their respective fields and continue to inspire generations of Indians. In this article, we will take a closer look at the achievements and contributions of the nine Indians who have won the Nobel Prize to date.

Rabindranath Tagore

The first Indian to win a Nobel Prize was Rabindranath Tagore, for his collection of poems Gitanjali. He was given the prestigious award in 1913. The official motivation for his award reads: “because of his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of the literature of the West.”

CV Raman

Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for the discovery of “Raman Scatter” and “Raman Effect”. His discovery is now known as the “Raman Effect”. The official rationale for giving him the prize reads: “For his work on the scattering of light and for the discovery of the effect named after him.”

Har Gobind Khorana

Professor Har Gobind Khorana won the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1968 along with two other scientists: Robert W. Holley and Marshall Nirenberg. The official rationale for giving them the prize reads: “For their interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis.”

Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa was a Catholic nun who devoted her life to helping the poor and sick in India and around the world. Mother Teresa came to India in 1948. She adopted Indian citizenship in 1950. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. The official rationale to award her Nobel Prize reads: “In recognition of [her] work in bringing help to suffering humanity.”

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar

Professor Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, the nephew of Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1983 along with William A. Fowler. The official rationale to give them the Nobel Prize reads: “For his theoretical studies of the physical processes of importance to the structure and evolution of the stars”.

Amartya Sen

Professor Amartya Sen is an economist, whose main areas of research are welfare economics. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1998. The official rationale for giving him the prize reads: “For his contributions to welfare economics”.

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry along with Thomas A. Steitz and Ana E. Yonath. The official rationale for giving him the prize reads: “For studies of the structure and function of the ribosome”.

Kailash Satyarthi

In 1980, Kailash Satyarthi founded Bachpan Bachao Andolan which is a non-profit organization campaigning for the rights of children. Along with Malala Yousafzai (the youngest Nobel Prize winner), Kailash Satyarthi was awarded the Noble Peace Prize in 2014. The official rationale for giving him the prize reads: “For their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education”.

Abhijit Banerjee

Abhijit Banerjee is the most recent Noble Prize winner of Indian origin. He completed his MA in economics from JNU in 1983 and did his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1988. He was awarded the Noble Prize in economics along with Esther Duflo (his wife) and Michael Kremer. The official rationale for giving him the prize reads: “For his experimental work in order to alleviate global poverty”.