Dr. Amartya Sen's Lecture

Prof. Amartya Sen
Professor of Economics, Harvard University
Nobel Laureate in Economics, 1998

Our grad school has a tradition of inviting Nobel Laureates every year. Last year's lecture was given by Dr. Amartya Sen - the Godfather of developmental economics. He asked me where I'm from in Pakistan and what is my major and showed keen interest and asked a few questions. He is very down to earth, loving and witty.

He gave a lecture on 'Global Civilization and National Boundaries'. He emphasized that the global problems demand integrated thinking and our ability - and willingness - to listen to each other. He also talked about the importance of global justice.

He signed his paper for me...I am so happy about it!

By the way, he forgot his original paper in his room and was not happy about it, though he was provided with a copy but he was very upset with himself. He joked about the fact that it is very awkward that everyone has a copy of a paper, and they are reading through it, as one is presenting it.

Dr. Mahbub ul Haq and Dr. Sen were the founders of the Human Development Theory and were also very close friends. Both have spent their lives for the betterment of the masses...

Dr. Amartya Sen while referring to the Human Development Theory said, "Human development, as an approach, is concerned with what I take to be the basic development idea: namely, advancing the richness of human life, rather than the richness of the economy in which human beings live, which is only a part of it."