Gandhi and the Nobel Peace Prize

Description

The Nobel Prize, according to the will of its founder Alfred Nobel, are awarded to persons for their services in the field of chemistry, physics, medicine and physiology, literature and peace. The Economic Sciences Prize was introduced by the Swedish Bank and  first awarded in 1969. Till 1964, fourteen Indians – Aga Khan III, Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, Hari Mohan Banerjee, Sanjib Kumar Chaudhuri, Benegal Narsing Rau, Rajah Bhushanman Manikam, Mahesh Prasad Varma alias His Holiness Bal Brahmachari, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Acharya Vinoba Bhave, Mehar Chand Davar, Sri Aurobindo Ghose, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Mahatma Gandhi – were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. An apostle of non-violent struggle and a crusader against colonialism and inequality Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi) was a much revered world figure. Between 1924 and 1948, in nearly 100 nominations (individual or joint) he was proposed for the Nobel Peace Prize. And yet despite international support, Gandhi was never a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Why was it so? Was it the fault of the Nobel Committee? Perhaps his associates made mistakes? In order to answer such questions, the nomination letters, newspaper cuttings, reports of the experts’ of the Nobel Committee, confidential record of the Committee, and other unpublished documents were consulted from the Archives of the Peace Prize Institute. The results are discussed and analysed in this volume. Please note: Taylor & Francis does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Foreword Preface Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Gandhi vs. Aga Khan: The First Indian Nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize Nobel Peace Prize: Rules and Regulations Aga Khan’s Nomination: India’s First Candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize Opinion of Aga Khan’s Nominator Memorandum of the Services of H.H. the Aga Khan to the Cause of International Peace Gandhi or Aga Khan: ‘Council of State Debates’—Official Report The Negative Role of British Empire The Negative Role of the Media Strictly Confidential Documents: Judging Khan’s Achievements Gandhi’s First Nomination in 1924 2. Gandhi and the Nobel Peace Prize for the Year 1937 Indias Venner: Friends of India in Norway—Gandhi’s Nomination in 1937 Evaluating Gandhi’s Work: Detailed Summary of the Expert’s Report 3. Gandhi’s Nomination for the Years 1938 and 1939: More than 40 Nominations Friends of India: Denmark Gandhi’s U.K. Nominators Gandhi and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom 4. Gandhi’s Nomination for the Year 1947: Different Opinions of the Members of the Nobel Committee The First Nominations from India for Gandhi Unrecorded Nominations Second Evaluation: J.A. Seip’s Report Opinion of the Nobel Committee 5. Gandhi on the Verge of Receiving the Nobel Peace Prize: The Failure of Mahatma’s Followers Gandhi’s Nominators for the Year 1948 The U.S. Nominators Nominations from France U.K. Supporters Norwegian Support: Just in Case Nominations after Assassination Indian Nominators Nomination from the U.K. More than 20 Nominations from the U.S.A. Gandhi’s Female Nominators from the U.S.A. Gandhi’s European Women Nominators The Secret Behind the American Enthusiasm to Nominate Gandhi Gandhi and the Positive Reports of the Experts Summary of Findings of the Right Interpretation of the Law Searching in Despair for Gandhi’s Heirs: Role of Kishorelal Mashruwala, Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad and Jawaharlal Nehru’s Government The Harijan Trust Sarvodaya Samaj The Gandhi Memorial Fund Not the Nobel Committee: Gandhi’s Followers Failed Bibliography Index