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Amartya Sen returns to repay his debt to alma mater

Arup Chanda in Shantiniketan

The chilly day of 1913 seems to have been repeated this morning at Viswabharati in Shantiniketan, as ashramites felicitated their ashrambalak, Nobel laureate Professor Amartya Sen. Eightyfive years ago, the founder of Viswabharati, Rabindranath Tagore, was felicitated at the same place, Amrakunja, when he became the first Asian to win the Nobel prize.

Clad in spotless white dhoti and kurta, like a typical Bengali bhadralok, the 64-year-old economist did not display any emotion as the citation was read out in Sanskrit and Bengali. Sen had earlier said he did not believe in "useless Bengali sentimentalism". The citation stated, 'Tagore had christened Sen as 'Amartya', meaning immortal, and he has now provided immortal bliss to this ashram'.

Earlier, Sen was honoured by senior ashramites by draping an angavastram on his shoulder and anointing his forehead with a sandalwood paste tilak. Ten years ago, in a similar manner, Sen was conferred the Desikottama award.

Sen looked tired as he climbed on to the dais, to sit on a special throne made for him, amidst singing of Tagore songs and thunderous applause.

Sen was presented with a book published by Viswabharati in his honour, a portfolio containing a replica of 30 paintings by Tagore and a portrait of Sen by artist Jogen Chowdhury, among other things.

Sen sounded nostalgic as he recounted his days as an ashrambalak. "I joined this institution 56 years ago. I cannot express in mere words how I benefited from it. I was lucky to have had teachers with whom we discussed various subjects beyond the confines of syllabus," he said.

The Nobel laureate stressed the influence of Tagore's school on his thinking and on that of other ashramites. "This is the time to recognise and express my indebtedness to one of the greatest thinkers of the world."

The audience, which included his mother Amita Sen, applauded as Sen kept praising Tagore. Quoting him, Sen said, "Tolerance of injustice is as bad and harmful as doing injustice. This philosophy is very important in the field of economics. Also, Tagore's realisation that happiness and enjoyment could be squeezed out even from the daily, mundane world of tragedy, death and illness, is a lesson we should learn and practise in our everyday life."

Sen first began his address in Bengali but later, because of the presence of foreigners in the audience, switched over to English. However, he jokingly quipped, "You will be relieved I will not try out a Sanskrit version."

This was Sen's first public speech after receiving the Nobel Prize, and interestingly, he chose to keep away from his pet subject: economics.

Professor Amartya Sen: Specials

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