supriy.me

Dear Nobel committee,

I cannot thank you enough for awarding Nobel Peace Prize to Mr Barack Obama. Now, millions of people worldwide whose ultimate dream is to win the Nobel prize can sleep in peace.In one move, you have taken the shine off the most distinguished award in the the world and brought peace to people.

I have the utmost respect for Mr Barack Obama as a leader, politician, thinker and visionary. However, with his inauguration as the 44th President on Jan 20, 2009, cut-off date for nominations being Feb 1, 2009 and decision on Nobel winners for 2009 taken inside of his first year as the President is something, I doubt, even he would have envisioned.

Clearly, you people did not want to fail in your efforts to give hope to millions.A unanimous decision was taken for his “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between people”.

The will of Mr Alfred Nobel said “….one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery or invention within the field of physics; one part to the person who shall have made the most important chemical discovery or improvement; one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery within the domain of physiology or medicine; one part to the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work of an idealistic tendency; and one part to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity among nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses…“.  Now, I might be wrong but this talks about “discoveries made“, “literary work produced” and “done the best work“. Efforts alone do not merit a Nobel, results do. Would you award a physicist for “extraordinary efforts to solve the mysteries of cosmos” or a writer for “extraordinary efforts to create an unmatched work of literature”? I suppose not.

The argument would be “Peace cannot be quantized like results in Physics, Chemistry etc”. Well, true.  But results are for people to see. Nuclear disarmament- In progress, Afghanistan &  Iraq Wars- In progress, Solution for poverty in Africa- In progress etc etc. Has the world become so much safer, so much more secure, so much more peaceful place in the past one year because of Mr Obama?

Nobel prize for peace is the epitome of recognition. If Mr Obama achieves peace throughout the world now, would you give him another Nobel? Most probably you will not as that would be a break from tradition which might force you to look at other issues like no posthumous Nobel or no Nobel for Mathematics.

I always assumed Nobel prize was like the justice system.Deserving candidates might not win but candidates that do not deserve it yet, will not win. I was wrong with that or maybe you know things that the world is not aware of yet.

All said and done, there will be lots of views and counterviews.Personally speaking, I will sleep better from now. Thank you for that.