PM congratulates Obama for winning Nobel Peace Prize

New Delhi, Oct 9(ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Friday congratulated US President Barack Obama for winning the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009, which he will receive on December 10 this year.

Obama was surprisingly given the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 for his extraordinary efforts in strengthening international diplomacy and for taking landmark initiatives to create a nuclear-free world.

Obama had beaten 204 other nominees for the prestigious award, which includes a gold medal, a Nobel diploma and 1.4 million dollars.

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded 90 times to 120 Nobel Laureates between 1901 and 2009 - 97 times to individuals and 23 times to organizations.

Since International Committee of the Red Cross was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1917, 1944 and 1963, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1954 and 1981, that means 97 individuals and 20 organizations have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. (ANI)