Fact sheet 1-Nobel prize (By Arun joshi, Sri-Krishna institute,9888933043)

1. On 27 November 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his last will and testament, giving the largest share of his fortune to a series of prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace - the Nobel Prizes. In 1968, Sveriges Riksbank (Sweden's central bank) established The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.

2. Between 1901 and 2009, the Nobel Prizes and the Prize in Economic Sciences were awarded 537 times.

3. 806 Laureates and 23 organizations have been awarded the Nobel Prize between 1901 and 2009. Of them, 64 are Laureates in Economic Sciences. A small number of individuals and organizations have been honoured more than once, which means that 802 individuals and 20 unique organizations have received the Nobel Prize in total.

4. Since the start, in 1901, there are some years when the Nobel Prizes have not been awarded. The total number of times are 50. Most of them during World War I (1914-1918) and II (1939-1945).

5. 41 Nobel Prizes and Prizes in Economic Sciences have been awarded to women and 765 to men between 1901 and 2009.

6. To date, the youngest Nobel Laureate is Lawrence Bragg, who was just 25 years old when he received the Nobel Prize in Physics with his father in 1915.

7. The oldest Laureate to date is Leonid Hurwicz, who was 90 years old when he was awarded the 2007 Prize in Economic Sciences.

8. The Nobel Laureate who has lived to the oldest age is Rita Levi-Montalcini, who was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. She celebrated her 100th anniversary on 22 April 2009.

9. Linus Pauling is the only person to have been awarded two unshared Nobel Prizes - the 1954 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and the 1962 Nobel Peace Prize.

10. The Curies were a very successful 'Nobel Prize family'.

11. Mahatma Gandhi was never awarded the Nobel Prize. The strongest symbol of non-violence in the 20th century never received the Nobel Peace Prize despite several nominations (12 nominations between 1937 and 1948.)

12. Frederick G. Banting and John Macleod were awarded the 1923 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine the first year they were nominated (with three nominations) for their discovery of insulin. By contrast, Robert Koch was nominated 55 times over 4 years before he received the Prize in 1905 for his discoveries concerning tuberculosis.