Washington, Dec 11: India has gifted USD 4.5 million
to the Harvard University to establish a Fund in the honour of
Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, which would provide fellowships to
deserving Indian students for pursuing studies at the premier
American institution.
Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen and Drew Gilpin Faust, the
President of the Harvard University, signed an agreement on
the establishment of the Fund at a ceremony at the University
yesterday in the presence of the noted economist Amartya Sen.
The gift of USD 4.5 million was made on the 75th birth
anniversary of Amartya Sen, distinguished Lamont Professor at
the University, in recognition of his "extraordinary
accomplishments" and his much-acclaimed work for social and
economic justice across the world.
The Fund, which will enable deserving Indian students to
pursue studies at the University's Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences, will be called 'India Fellowships Given in Honour of
Amartya Sen'.
Consistent with the University's policy, the Fellowships
will at a later date be formally designated as the Amartya Sen
Fellowship Fund and the recipients of the fellowship as
Amartya Sen Fellows.
Ambassador Sen thanked Harvard University for accepting
the gift on the occasion of Professor Amartya Sen's 75th birth
anniversary, the Indian embassy here said in a release.
He described Professor Sen, also the recipient of the
Bharat Ratna, as a great son of India and one of the world's
foremost contemporary thinkers.
The Ambassador expressed confidence that the Fund will
further deepen the strong bonds between Harvard and India;
expand the university's impressive scholarship on India,
especially at the institution's South Asia Initiative, and
open new opportunities for gifted scholars from India to study
at one of the world's premier universities.
"I am delighted that the gift will help bright Indian
students to come to Harvard. The students receiving the India
Fellowships will have the opportunity of studying at what is
perhaps the best university in the world, and Harvard too will
benefit from having wonderful students who could not otherwise
afford to come here," Professor Amartya Sen said.
"Since I see myself mainly as a teacher - and only
occasionally as a researcher - I am very happy that the kind
gift of the government will be used for the education of
Indian students," he said.
The South Asia Initiative (SAI) of the University, headed
by Prof Sugata Bose, has since its establishment five years
ago, significantly raised the profile of studies on India and
South Asia at Harvard, and internationally.
In its first four years it sent nearly 300 faculty
members and students to India and South Asia, conducted
high-profile seminars and conferences, supported new websites,
and organised other research activities.
In 2007, Harvard President Drew Faust authorised the
raising of endowed funds of USD 20 million for a South Asia
Institute and USD 16 million for endowed Chairs.
In 2007-2008, there were 288 South Asian students at
Harvard University, of which 216 were from India.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, December 11, 2008, 00:00