India’s Nobel Prize Winners have left a lasting mark on the world with their contributions in literature, physics, medicine, peace, economics, and chemistry. Their journeys are not just about winning awards but also about inspiring stories of knowledge, innovation, and humanity.
In this article, we will explore their journeys and contributions in detail.
Let us know about those people who received the Nobel Prize for their discoveries in physiology or medicine, which gave even more recognition and glory to this field.
1. Ronald Ross
“Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1902”
Sir Ronald Ross was a British doctor born in 1857 who made a groundbreaking discovery while working in India. In 1902, he received the Nobel Prize in Medicine for proving that malaria was spread by mosquitoes. This was a turning point in the fight against this deadly disease that was widespread in India at the time. Ross did most of his research in Kolkata, where he worked tirelessly to understand the spread of malaria.
His work not only saved millions of lives but also opened the door to future research in public health and disease control. Although he was British, his Nobel Prize-winning work was done in India, making him an important figure in Indian medical history.
2. H. Gobind Khorana
“Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1968”
Har Gobind Khorana was born in 1922 in Raipur, a small village in Punjab (then British India). Despite his humble background, he grew up to become a world-renowned molecular biologist. In 1968, he received the Nobel Prize in Medicine for helping to decipher the genetic language of DNA and RNA, basically for discovering how our body reads genetic information to make proteins.
This work laid the foundation for biotechnology and genetic engineering. Khorana later moved to the US, but his roots remained Indian. He is remembered not only for his brilliance but also as an inspiration to students from small towns who dream big.
Learn about all the Indian Nobel Prize winners who have been honored for their various discoveries. Who was the first non-European and first Asian to win the Nobel Prize? [A Global Visionary (1913)]
Explore the journey of Indian Nobel Prize winners
1. Rabindranath Tagore
“A Global Visionary (1913)”
Rabindranath Tagore created history by winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. He was the first non-European and the first Asian person to receive this award. This honor not only brought recognition to his poems but also brought recognition to Indian literature around the world.
His famous book Gitanjali is a collection of poems in which the feelings related to humanity, nature, and God are deeply reflected. The special thing is that Tagore himself translated this book from Bengali to English. Because of this, people of Western countries were also able to understand his works, and he got the Nobel Prize.
Tagore was not only a poet, but he also raised his voice against British rule. He criticized the policies of the British government and stood firmly in favor of India’s culture and independence. He also returned his knighthood honor in protest against the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
A tragic incident happened in 2004 when the original medal of his Nobel Prize was stolen. This caused outrage across the country. Later, Sweden presented gold and bronze replicas of the medal to Visva-Bharati University.
Tagore was not only a great poet but also a deeply reflective philosopher and teacher. His life was imbued with the spirit of peace, unity, and humanity, which continues to inspire people even today.
2. C. V. Raman
“The Maverick Scientist (1930)”
Sir Chandrashekhar Venkat Raman was the first Indian and Asian scientist to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930. He discovered a unique effect related to the scattering of light, known as the “Raman Effect.”
He was brilliant and curious since childhood. At the age of just 14, he took admission to the B.A. class at Presidency College, Madras.
He also secured first position in M.A. Despite getting a high position in the government job, he did not stop doing research work in his free time. In the “Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science” in Calcutta, he did big experiments with simple equipment (worth only ₹ 300).
When he saw the blue color of the sea during the sea voyage, a question arose in his mind, and this thought later turned into his great discovery (Raman Effect). On 28 February 1928, he discovered the Raman Effect, which is now celebrated every year as National Science Day in India. Raman ji received many international honors.
He was given the title of “Sir” in 1929 and received the Nobel Prize in 1930. At the award ceremony, he demonstrated his experiment with alcohol, but in keeping with Indian traditions, he refused to drink alcohol himself. His life is a symbol of dedication, simplicity, and passion for science.
3. Har Gobind Khorana
“From pastoral roots to the genetic code (1968)”
Dr. Hargobind Khorana was born in 1922 in Raipur, a small village in Punjab. At that time, there was no school building in the village, so he studied sitting under a tree. Khorana, who grew up in very simple circumstances, made a special identity for himself in the world on the basis of hard work and studies.
He went abroad for higher education and then enrolled in the famous American institute MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). There, he did historic work in the field of molecular biology.
In 1968, Dr. Khorana was awarded the Nobel Prize. He received this award along with two other scientists, Marshall Nirenberg and Robert Holley. Together, these three achieved great success in understanding how the code hidden in DNA creates proteins in our body. Dr. Khorana created such RNA molecules that enabled scientists to prove how each code of DNA is connected to a specific amino acid.
His work became the foundation of today’s genetic engineering and biotechnology. From a village kid to becoming a Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Khorana’s story continues to teach millions even today that there are no limits to dreams and hard work.
will be continued…
4. Mother Teresa
“A Life of Quiet Compassion (1979)”
5. Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar:
“Stargazer and Theorist (1983)”
6. Amartya Sen
“The Heart Behind Economics (1998)”
7. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan
“Decoding Life’s Machinery (2009)”
8. Kailash Satyarthi
“An Invisible Warrior for Children (2014)”
9. Abhijit Banerjee
“Data-Driven Poverty Fighter (2019)”
10. Abdus Salam (1979, Physics)
“Born in Punjab (British India), of Indian descent”
11. V. S. Naipaul
“Trinidad-born Indian-origin”
12. Muhammad Yunus
“Born in British India (now Bangladesh), of Indian descent”
13. Ronald Ross
“British citizen born in Almora (India)”
What do these stories teach us?
- Never forget your partner.
- Courageous saying.
- Passion over profit.
- Ideas are trending around the world:
I am Manish Gupta – a pharmacy graduate from PSIT Kanpur and the founder & CEO of Medicovada. Medicovada is a health and wellness blogging platform that promotes evidence-based information on natural lifestyle and preventive care.
Nice post. Very informative.