Navanethem ‘Navi’ Pillay: 5 facts about 2026 Nobel Peace Prize winner

Navanethem ‘Navi’ Pillay, a South African jurist of Indian origin and a former ICC judge, ‌won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday (October 9, 2026) “for her efforts to promote peace and international law”.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised the 85-year-old Justice Pillay’s commitment to universal legal principles and said she had held states and national leaders accountable while bringing hope to victims of violence and conflict. The Committee described her as one of the most respected international jurists of her time.

Here are five facts about the 2026 Nobel peace prize winner Navanethem ‘Navi’ Pillay

Navanethem ‘Navi’ Pillay was born on September 23, 1941, in apartheid-era South Africa to Indian parents of Tamil descent. Justice Pillay grew up under apartheid and went on to build a career challenging racial discrimination, defending anti-apartheid activists and advancing human rights and equality.