Pakistani child education activist Malala Yousafzai and Indian child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi have won the Nobel Peace Prize.

At 17, Malala is the youngest recipient of the prize.

The teenager was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen in October 2012 for campaigning for girls’ education.

The Nobel committee said the pair were awarded the prize “for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people”.

Mr Satyarthi, 60, has maintained the tradition of Mahatma Gandhi and headed various forms of peaceful protests, “focusing on the grave exploitation of children for financial gain,” the committee said.

This year’s record number of 278 nominees included Pope Francis and Congolese gynaecologist Denis Mukwege, although the full list was kept a secret.