When Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi's flat in Alaknanda Apartments in the national capital was burgled on February 7, his Nobel medal was among the things that were stolen.
[File photo] Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi's medal and Nobel citation
Luckily, Satyarthi had gifted the original medal to the nation, and is housed in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. What the thieves stole was a replica, which the Nobel Committee presented. And it is no less precious, for more often than not, the winners do just what Satyarthi did -- gift the medal to the nation, while keeping the replica for future generations in the family or the organisation they worked through.
On February 12, the Delhi police recovered the medal. But what they have not recovered is the Nobel citation, which is also unique in every sense because no duplicate or replica is given or can be made.
Says Satyarthi, "The Nobel Committee cannot give anyone a duplicate citation. The citation is hand written on paper specially made for it. It is signed by all the members of the Nobel Committee.” Among those who signed his citation was the Nobel Committee Chairperson Kaci Kullmann Five, who passed away on February 19.
Many children whose life Satyarthi had impacted may not get a chance to see the Nobel medal that has been dedicated to the nation. But almost anyone could have seen the replica and the citation at the Nobel Laureate's residence. His wife Sumedha, daughter Asmita, son Bhuwan and daughter-in-law Priyanka, will definitely miss the citation even if they have the Nobel winner himself in their midst. But Satyarthi had intended it to inspire future generations in the family, particularly his two-year old grandson Ribhu.
The police have not given up their hunt for the Nobel citation. But they have also told Satyarthi that the robbers could just have thrown it away in the course of their run.
