Amartya Sen

Amartya Kumar Sen (he/him) is an Indian economist and philosopher born on November 3, 1933, in Santiniketan, West Bengal, India. He is best known for his contributions to welfare economics, social choice theory, and development economics, for which he was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1998.

Sen received his education from Calcutta University, Trinity College, Cambridge, and Harvard University. He began his academic career at Jadavpur University in Kolkata and has since taught at numerous prestigious institutions worldwide, including Delhi School of Economics, London School of Economics, Harvard University, and Oxford University.

Sen’s contributions to economics have been extensive and varied, covering topics such as poverty, inequality, social justice, and development. His work on welfare economics and social choice theory has been particularly influential, with his Capability Approach, which emphasizes the importance of individual capabilities and freedoms, being widely adopted in development policy and practice.

In addition to his contributions to economics, Sen has also made significant contributions to philosophy, particularly in the areas of ethics and political philosophy. He has written extensively on topics such as social choice, justice, and human rights, and his work has been influential in shaping debates in these areas.

Sen’s many honors and awards include the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, and the National Humanities Medal, awarded by the President of the United States. He is also a Fellow of the British Academy and a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Sen continues to be an active voice in academic and policy circles, advocating for the importance of social justice, human rights, and individual freedoms in economic and political systems.