….And the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize goes to Malala Yousafzai and India's Kailash Satyarthi

Oslo, Oct 10: 2014 Nobel Peace Prize has been given to Pakistani teen activist Malala Yousafzai and India's children's rights activist Kailash Satyarthi, on Friday.

17-year-old Malala, who shot to limelight after the Taliban militants pumped bullets into her for advocating education for girls, has become the world's youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize as well as the first Nobel Laureate born in Pakistan. [India-Pak proud moment: Kailash Satyarthi, Malala Yousafzai conferred the Nobel Peace Prize]

"The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2014 is to be awarded to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education," the jury said.

"The struggle against suppression and for the rights of children...The world has come closer to the goal of eliminating child labour", The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced.

"Malala has become a leading spokesperson for girls' rights to education", it said.

Kailash Satyarthi is the 8th Nobel Laureate born in India.

The Committee said it "regards it as an important point for a Hindu and a Muslim, an Indian and a Pakistani, to join in a common struggle for education and against extremism."

Malala, who was nominated in the peace prize category last year also, had displayed tremendous courage even after the Taliban attack when she resolutely expressed her determination to carry on with her campiagn for child rights and girls education especially in a country like Pakistan.

She addressed the UN last year, met US President Barack Obama and was named one of 'Time' magazine's 100 most influential people. Last year, she published her memoir 'I Am Malala'.

India's proud moment came when 60-year-old, Indian children's rights activist Kailash Satyarthi's name was announced.

Kailash Satyarthi, who is the founder of an NGO, "Bachpan Bachao Andolan" (Save Childhood Movement), is the 8th Nobel Laureate born in India.

"Showing great personal courage @k_satyarthi has headed peaceful demonstrations focusing on grave exploitation of children for financial gain", The Nobel Prize tweeted.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee had received 278 candidates for the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. 47 of these are organizations.

51% of the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates are born in Europe.

Last year, in 2013, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded 25 times to organizations between 1901 and 2013.

OneIndia News