Amartya
Kumar Sen is an Indian economist, philosopher, and a winner of the 1998 Nobel
Prize for Economics for his work on the causes of poverty and famine. A strong
believer in political freedom, his work has shown that famines don't occur in
thriving democracies, because democratic leaders must be responsive to the needs
of their citizens. He has shown that in order to attain real and lasting economic
growth, social reforms such as improvements in public health and education must
be addressed first.
As
a child, Amartya Sen was deeply affected after witnessing the suffering and misery
during a famine, and has spent his life advocating for a more just and sustainable
economic world, not through activism, but through scholarly research. Because
of his life's work focusing on the welfare of the poor, he has been called 'The
Mother Teresa of Economics.'
In
addition to teaching at a number of universities, Amartya Sen
has written many books about economics and social issues like gender equality,
sustainable development, political freedom, and peace and security, and his books
have been translated into 30 languages. His is the honorary president of Oxfam,
a major international nonprofit organization working to end world hunger, and
is a trustee of Economists for Peace and Security. In addition to the Nobel Prize,
Professor Sen has received numerous other awards and accolades including India's
highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna in 1999 and the 2002 International Humanist
Award from the International Humanist and Ethical Union.
