by Will M Prise

Created on: July 24, 2008

DIVERSITY OF THE AWARD-WINNERS

There are three types of people who won Nobel Prizes associated with India: those born there (A. Sen, S. Chandrashekhar, C. V. Raman, H. Khorana, R. Tagore); those who did the majority of their work there, but born elsewhere (Mother Teresa, Rudyard Kipling); and one born there but of another descent (V.S. Naipaul - Trinidadian descent).

INITIAL LITERARY WINNINGS

Prior to 1930 Prizes awarded to those associated with India were for literature: Kipling and R. Tagore, who is India's most well-known native writer. He won for a collection of poems in 1913 called "Gitanjali." Rudyard Kipling won in 1907 for his stories set in India and for his exceptional gift for narration.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCIENCES

India's greatest contribution to Nobel Prizes has come in the areas of Science and Medicine.

Sir C.V. Raman (1930) Nobel Prize for Physics

Raman won the Nobel Prize for his celebrated work on the "Raman" effect, which occurs when a ray of light excites a molecule and causes a scattering of light. The "Raman" effect is largely used to study molecular energy levels.

Dr. Hargobind Khorana (1968) Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology

Khorana amazingly produced the first man-made gene. He collaborated with two other scientists, M. Nuremberg and R. Holly, in the discovery that all life shared genes in sets of three nucleotide codes to form amino acids.

Dr. S. Chandrasekar (1983) Nobel Prize for Physics

Chandrasekar worked involved the rotation of planets, black holes, clusters of galaxies, and the evolution of stars.

THE CHARITY OF MOTHER TERESA

In 1979, Mother Teresa won the Nobel Prize for Peace because of her work to help the poor around the world, but mostly in India. She established groups of missionaries to house, feed, and provide medical care for the poorest people in India. Her organizations have spread throughout Asia and Africa.

THE PROPER HISTORY

In 2001, V.S. Naipaul won the Nobel Prize for Literature for his work that revealed "suppressed histories" concerning India.

ECONOMIC SCIENCE

Dr. Amartya Sen won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1998 for his economic theories and policies that aimed at helping the poor, the under-educated, and the disabled throughout India. He is noted for requesting softer economic policy toward the poor in recessions and the advancement of equality for women throughout the third world.

NOBEL PRIZE PROGRESSION

The first Nobel Prizes were awarded to those in India for literary reasons. Through greater funding in national education and the establishment of noteworthy universities, India produced three natural science awards and one social science award.

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