Only 2 Indian Winners In 125 Year; How Is Nobel Peace Prize Decided? History And Nomination Process Explained

Nobel Peace Prize 2026: United States President Donald Trump is among the people being discussed as a potential contender for the Nobel Peace Prize 2026. However, being nominated does not mean a person will win as the final decision is made by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. This year’s Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Friday in Oslo.

What Is The Nobel Peace Prize?

The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the Nobel Prizes created from the will of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel. Unlike the other Nobel Prizes, the Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway, rather than Stockholm in Sweden. In his will, Nobel reportedly said that the prize should go to the person who has done the most or the best work to promote fellowship among nations, reduce or abolish standing armies, and promote peace.

Why Is It Given?

The prize is intended to recognise people or organisations that make significant contributions to peace. It can be awarded to an individual or an organisation. For the 2026 Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Institute has registered 287 candidates, including 208 individuals and 79 organisations. The first Nobel Peace Prize was awarded in 1901.

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Nomination Process

According to the Nobel Prize Organisation, not everyone can nominate a candidate, and self-nomination is also not allowed. A nomination must come from a qualified person. Qualified nominators include members of national parliaments and governments, current heads of state, members of international courts, certain university professors and leaders of peace and foreign-policy institutes, previous Nobel Peace Prize laureates, members of organisations that have won the Peace Prize, and current or former members and advisers of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

How Is The Winner Decided?

The Norwegian Nobel Committee selects the Nobel Peace Prize winner. It has five members, appointed by the Norwegian parliament, known as the Storting. The committee's decision is made by the majority vote and is final. The process begins before the nomination deadline, where qualified nominators submit names before February. From February to March, the committee examines the candidates and prepares a shortlist. From March to August, advisers review the candidates and their work.

In October, the committee chooses the laureate through a majority vote and announces the winner. The prize is then formally awarded on December 10 in Oslo. Interestingly, the identities of nominees and details of nominations are kept secret for 50 years.

Indians Who Have Won Nobel Peace Prize

So far, only two Indians have been awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize. Mother Teresa was the first to be awarded the prize in 1979. She won the prize for her work helping poor and sick people in the slums of Kolkata, West Bengal. The second Indian to win the Nobel Peace Prize is activist Kailash Satyarthi. He won the prize in 2014 for his work to stop child labour and protect children's right to education. Satyarthi shared the prize with Pakistan’s Malala Yousafzai.

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