Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai and NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden are reportedly among this year’s record 278 Nobel Peace Prize nominees.
Head of the Nobel Institute , Geir Lundestad, said that the number of nominations increases almost every year, which shows a growing interest in the prize.
According to Dawn News, Lundestad revealed that 47 of the 278 candidates were organizations.
Although the list is kept secret for at least 50 years, the sponsors could choose to reveal the name of their nominee.
The report said that Putin is believed to be on the list, since Russian figures proposed his name in October, citing his role in the Syrian crisis.
However, his chances of receiving the honour were bleak given the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Snowden, who has been provided asylum in Russia and is accused in the US of disclosing a large number of classified documents regarding a US global surveillance programme, is also likely to be the frontrunners for claiming the title.
Malala, who was seriously wounded when she was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman at point blank range for promoting girls’ education in Pakistan, is again known to be nominated, after being considered one of the favourites last year.
Other figures with a similar profile, such as Julian Assange – founder of WikiLeaks – and Chelsea Manning are also known to be on the list, along with jailed Belarussian rights activist Ales Belyatski and Denis Mukwege, a pioneering doctor who founded a clinic for rape victims in the Democratic Republic of Congo, both nominated in the past.
The laureate would be announced in Oslo on October 10, the report added. (ANI)