New Delhi. Navanethem Navi Pillay has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the year 2026. Indian-origin Navi Pillai has been the former Human Rights Chief of the United Nations and is also a judge of the International Court of Justice. He has received this honor for his efforts to promote peace and international law. Navi Pillai has historical and cultural ties to India, as she is a South African citizen of Indian origin. His grandfather came to South Africa from India during the British colonial period in the 1890s as an indentured laborer to work in the sugarcane fields.
Navi Pillai was born in Durban, South Africa, to a migrant Tamil Hindu family. His father Narayanasamy was a bus driver and his mother Shantama Naidu brought him up with traditional values, which gave a strong foundation to his life. With this Indian heritage and family background, Pillay navigated the harsh times of apartheid and emerged as one of the first women of Indian origin to practice law in South Africa.
Struggle-filled life of Navanetham Navi Pillai
Navanetham Navi Pillai's life has been linked to the struggle of people of Indian origin in South Africa during the apartheid era and their long fight for justice. He has worked to protect human rights and strengthen the rule of law at the international level. According to the Nobel Committee, Navi Pillai's work is a source of hope and inspiration for all those who want to make the world more peaceful. Wars and conflicts are increasing in the world. Judges and institutions related to international law are facing political pressure. At such a time, this award reminds that respect for international law is necessary to resolve disputes without violence.
The committee was not able to contact Navanetham Navi Pillai to inform him about receiving the award. This year, a total of 287 candidates were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Of these, a little more than a quarter were of institutions. Nominations for the prize are open to a select number of individuals and institutions, including heads of state, national level politicians, university professors, heads of foreign policy institutions, former Nobel laureates and members of the Nobel Committee.
Know about Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize was started in 1901. So far it has been given to 112 individuals and 28 different organizations. The Red Cross has received this honor three times, while the United Nations refugee agency has received it twice. However, there have been 19 times when this award was not given. Most of these occasions came during both world wars. Even after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948, this award was not given to anyone. Mahatma Gandhi was nominated 12 times, but never received the Nobel Peace Prize. This year, an amount of 1.2 crore Swedish Krona will be given under the award, which is equivalent to about 12 lakh US dollars.