The Vanished Nobels: How the World’s Greatest Honors Became Targets of Theft
November 12, 1913, marks an indelible moment in history, the day Rabindranath Tagore was honored with the Nobel Prize. It was not only a momentous occasion for India but for the entire world, a golden chapter engraved forever in the chronicles of humanity. Tagore became the first Asian and the first non-European Indian to receive this most prestigious award. His legacy, woven from more than two thousand songs and poems, is as influential as it is eternal.
Yet, in 2004, a tragic episode unfolded: Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s Nobel medal was stolen and to this day, has never been recovered. The Nobel theft was not the first such event; before and since, several laureates have had their medals stolen. This article unfolds the stories of these illustrious individuals in rich detail.
The First Asian Laureate and the Strange History of Nobel Theft
The Nobel Prize, one of the world’s supreme honors, was instituted following the will of Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel and first awarded in 1901. Tagore received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913, in recognition of his poetic masterpiece ‘Gitanjali’. As the first Asian and non-European laureate, Gurudev Tagore broke profound new ground.
The Nobel medal was kept at Visva-Bharati University in a vault alongside other awards. On December 7, 2004, this venerated medal was stolen. In response, investigative pressure led to both CBI and SIT teams being constituted, and authorities even arrested a singer during their inquiry. Connections to Bangladesh and Europe surfaced in the investigation, but ultimately, the case was closed for lack of evidence. In truth, no agency ever managed to locate or recover Tagore’s Nobel, a fact that remains an embarrassment for Bengal’s government and calls into question the working methods of the administration and its agencies.
The Nobel Academy responded by gifting the school gold and bronze replicas of the original medal. The saga of the theft even inspired Mithun Chakraborty’s film “Nobel Chor,” which was officially selected for the BFI London Film Festival.
Mithun Chakraborty’s film “Nobel Chor,” based on the Nobel theft | Image Credit: Bansal News
Even Kailash Satyarthi’s Nobel Prize was Stolen
Child rights activist and author Kailash Satyarthi received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. But on February 7, 2017, a case of Nobel theft made headlines again: his citation and several other valuable items were stolen. This time, however, it was not the original medal, but a replica. The theft occurred at Satyarthi’s Aravari Apartment in Delhi’s Kalkaji area. Police later arrested three individuals in connection with the lost replica. Notably, after receiving the original Nobel, Satyarthi deposited it at Rashtrapati Bhavan (the President’s residence).
Three thieves were arrested in connection with the theft of a replica of Kailash Satyarthi’s Nobel Prize | Image Credit: Amar Ujala
Physicist Ernest Lawrence and the Nobel Theft Incident
Ernest Lawrence’s 1939 Nobel Prize medal was stolen in 2007 from a display at the University of California, Berkeley. Lawrence was posthumously awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1939 for inventing the cyclotron.
Physicist Lawrence’s Nobel | Image Credit: Navbharat Times
Shortly after the theft, the university arrested a 22-year-old student, Ian Michael Sanchez, who also worked as a security guard in the hall. The thief justified his act by saying he stole the medal on impulse. He was subsequently jailed. Currently, the 23-carat gold medal is valued at $4,200 (approximately ₹3,70,858).
Details of the Theft of the Nobel Prize
In 1985, K Miller received the Nobel Peace Prize for his work toward preventing nuclear war, an honor he shared with international physicians. Miller’s medal was also stolen but was recovered in 2007 in Salt Lake City. The Utah police found the medal along with a gun, several driver’s licenses, and other suspicious items in the possession of a suspect who was later found living in Miller’s basement.
Arthur Henderson’s Stolen Nobel Prize Still Missing
Arthur Henderson, founder of Britain’s Labour Party, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1934
Arthur Henderson, founder of Britain’s Labour Party, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1934. Known as “Uncle Arthur,” Henderson’s Nobel was stolen on April 1, 2013, from the Mayor’s office in Newcastle, England. Though he was jailed on suspicion, the original award has never been recovered.
C.V. Raman’s Nobel Prize is Securely Kept at an Unknown Location and Only Shown by Permission
Due to concerns about theft, the original Nobel Prize awarded to Indian scientist C.V. Raman is stored at an undisclosed location. The 2004 theft of Rabindranath Tagore’s Nobel medal raised public awareness regarding such risks. Every year on Science Day, a replica of Raman’s Nobel is displayed at the Raman Research Institute, and access is given only upon special requests linked to research or academic work.
The Nobel Prize is one of the world’s most prestigious honors awarded to individuals who labor diligently and insightfully to uncover and beautify the universe’s secrets. It celebrates great minds who guide the world toward progress and peace. Unfortunately, some criminals, driven by greed or notoriety, have resorted to stealing Nobel medals. This shameful behavior not only embarrasses their country but also sends the wrong message to the global community. Such acts deserve unequivocal condemnation everywhere.
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