Indian Nobel Prize Winners

The Nobel Prize is considered the most prestigious award in the world given for outstanding contributions in the fields of physics, chemistry, literature, peace, physiology/medicine, and economics.

It was established in 1895 under the will of a Swedish scientist who became famous for the invention of dynamite, Alfred Nobel.

From Rabindranath Tagore in 1913 to Kailash Satyarthi in 2014 so far there are 5 Indian Citizens who have made the country feel proud since its inception in 1901.

Basic Facts

  • Total No. of Nobel Prize Winners from India – 6.
  • First Nobel Prize Winner – Rabindranath Tagore (1913).
  • First Nobel Prize in Physics – C. V. Raman (1930).
    • First Indian Scientist to get Nobel Prize – C. V. Raman (1930).
  • First Nobel Peace Prize – Mother Theresa (1979, Albanian Origin).
  • First Nobel Prize in Economics – Amartya Sen (1998).
  • First Person of Indian origin to receive Nobel Peace Prize – Kailash Satyarthi (2014).


the Indian connection


  • First Person of Indian origin to receive Nobel Prize in Medicine – Dr. Har Govind Khurana* (1968, USA, Jointly with Robert W. Holley & Marshall W. Nirenberg).
  • First Person of Indian origin to receive Nobel Prize in Physics – S. Chandrasekhar** (1983, USA).
  • First Person of Indian origin to receive Nobel Prize in Chemistry – Venkatraman Ramakrishnan*** (2009, UK-USA, Jointly with Thomas A. Steitz & Ada E. Yonath).
  • First Person of Indian descent to win Nobel Prize in Literature – V.S. Naipaul (2001, UK Citizen, born in Trinidad).
  • Second Person of Indian descends to win Nobel Prize in Economics – Abhijit Banerjee (2019, USA, Jointly with Esther Duflo & Michael Kremer; for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty.).

*For their interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis.
**For his theoretical studies of the physical processes of importance to the structure and evolution of the stars.
*** For studies of the structure and function of the ribosome.


the Indian born Nobel laureates


  • Ronald Ross – Physiology/Medicine (United Kingdom, 1902).
  • Rudyard Kipling – Literature (United Kingdom, 1907).
  • Tenzing Gyatso (14th Dalai Lama) – Peace (Tibet, 2000).

Another Indian associated with Nobel Prize is Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri. He was the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) when the Nobel Peace Prize was announced.


IPCC and Former US Vice-president Al Gore jointly shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for international action against global warming and climate change.

the Indian Nobel laureates


1. Rabindranath Tagore (1913)


  • Popularly known as Gurudev & Bard of Bengal.
  • Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 for ‘Gitanjali’.
  • "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."
  • First Asian to win the Nobel Prize.
  • Knighthood in 1915 by King George V. (renowned after Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, 1919).
  • Established the Vishwa-Bharati University in 1921.
  • Wrote National Anthem of 2 Countries: India & Bangladesh.

2. C. V. Raman (1930)


  • Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman.
  • First Asian Scientist to win Nobel Prize.
  • First non-White to receive a Nobel Prize.
  • Recognized for his work on the scattering of light (Raman Effect).
  • Raman Effect laid the foundation of Raman Spectroscopy, a powerful tool which provides insights into the molecular composition and dynamics of substances.
  • First Indian Director of Indian Institute of Sciences (IISC) in 1933.
  • Bharat Ratna award in 1954, one of the first recipients.
  • National Science Day – February 28, marks the discovery of the Raman Effect on Feb 28, 1928.

3. Mother Teresa (1910 - 1997)


  • Popularly Known as Saint of the Gutters.
  • Original Name – Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu.
  • Born in Albania.
  • Founder the Order of the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic congregation of women in 1950.
  • Nobel Prize for Peace in 1979.
    • for her work for bringing help to suffering humanity.
  • Bharat Ratna – January 25, 1980.
  • Ramon Magsaysay Peace Prize in 1962.
  • canonized as Saint Teresa of Calcutta in 2016 by Pope Francis Benedict.

4. Dr. Amartya Sen


  • For his contributions to Welfare Economics and Poverty.
  • Bharat Ratna in 1999.
  • Honorary Citizen of Bangladesh since 1999.
  • National Humanities Medal (USA) in 2012.

5. Kailash Satyarthi


  • Received Nobel Prize in 2014.
  • Jointly with Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan.
  • "for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education."
  • Founder of Bachpan Bachao Andolan (1980).
  • Established GoodWeave International (formerly known as Rugmark).
  • For his struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education.


📝 SideNotes:

  • Raman Effect – Scattering of light particles ie., changes in the wavelength of light when it enters a molecule causing electromagnetic fields in the molecule.
  • The Nobel Prize for Economics was instituted by – Sweden's Central Bank.
  • Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in the City of – Oslo, Norway.
  • First Director of Indian Institute of Sciences (IISC) – J.R.D. Tata.
  • Pakistan's First Nobel Prize Winner – Abdus Salam (Physics, 1979).
  • The first scientist from an Islamic country to receive a Nobel Prize – Abdus Salam (Physics, 1979).
  • The Second Nobel Prize Winner from Pakistan – Malala Yousafzai 
  • The youngest Nobel Prize laureate in the history – Malala Yousafzai (17 years old).
Thanks for reading!!!