Not conferring the Nobel Peace Prize to Mahatma Gandhi was the 'biggest omission' made so far by the committee that decides the prestigious global award, the director of Norwegian Nobel Institute has said.

Geir Lundestand told Indian journalists in the Norwegian capital Oslo that there was an intention but since Gandhi passed away in 1948, the idea of conferring the Mahatma with Nobel prize was dropped.

It was the biggest omission by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee so far, Lundestand, who is also Secretary to the secretive five-member Nobel Comittee, was quoted as saying.

Lundestand said Gandhi was a leading condender for the Prize many times but his assassination in 1948 was what scuttled it.