When people do good work, their deeds are recognized through awards by government authorities. Every country has such awards to reward their heroes. But, when it comes to a global award, Nobel is considered as one of the most cherished and prestigious award. A Nobel Prize is like a lifetime achievement and only a few as well as finest personalities get this award. For distributing or awarding Nobel Prize, a Nobel committee is formed. Committee members decide the nominees first and then the winners are judged from those nominees. Undoubtedly and unarguably, Nobel is the most prestigious award in the world. But some people have turned down this honor. Can you believe it? We tell you about the exceptional geniuses who turned down Nobel Prize.
Turned Down Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize has several distinctive categories, under which people have been awarded for their finest contribution towards the humanity or human civilization. Such an award is not just an individual’s pride, but also a pride for the nation. However, several controversies have been noted in the history of Nobel. Controversy stirred with the Nobel Prize winners, like Yaseer Arafat, Barack Obama, etc. Controversy also stirred up, when only a few have shown their dignity to reject this highest recognition award. You must be itching to know those persons, who rejected Nobel Prize. So, have a look at the following listof people who turned down Nobel Prize:
1. Le Duc Tho
Born in Na Ham province of Vietnam, Le Duc Tho is a famous revolutionary, diplomat, and politician. He had made significant contributions for his country and played key role in establishing the peace in his country. Sighting his noble deeds, in the year of 1973, Le Duc Tho, along with Henry Kissinger, was awarded Nobel Peace Prize for brokering a Vietnam cease fire at the Paris Peace Accords. Le Duc Tho had eventually turned down this award, observing that actual peace did not come to Vietnam.
2. Jean Paul Sartre
In 1964, famous writer and philosopher, Jean Paul Sartre had received Nobel Prize in Literature. He sighted that Nobel Prize would snatch his freedom of writing. Due to this reason, he turned down his Nobel Prize.
3. Boris Pasternak
Famous Russian poet, as well as writer, Boris Pasternak won Nobel award in the year of 1958 in the Literature. He refused to accept this honor, as he feared of Soviet retribution, if he visited to Stockholm to claim his prize. However, Nobel Academy refused his refusal and Yevgeny Pasternak received this award on Pasternak’s behalf.
4. Erik Axel Karlfeldt
Erik Axel Karlfeldt is yet another person, who refused Nobel Prize in the year of 1918. He won this award in Literature, but he turned it down, as he was a member of Secretary of the Swedish Academy.
Alfred Nobel started Nobel Prizes as a way to recognize great work that people do all around the world.
