Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen No More? Check Truth Behind Viral Claim

A tweet made from a US based Twitter handle claimed that Nobel laureate and eminent economist Amartya Sen passed away today aged 89 years old. The news for his demise was shared on Twitter by American professor Claudia Goldin. Amartya Sen is an influential thinker, known for his extensive contributions to economics, social philosophy, and welfare economics. 

A terrible news. My dearest Professor Amartya Sen has died minutes ago. No words. pic.twitter.com/giIdK0t2XA

— Claudia Goldin (@profCGoldin) October 10, 2023

The news soon spread like a wildfire. However, the same was untrue as confirmed by Nandana Deb Sen, daugher of Amartya Sen. "Nandana Deb Sen denies her father Nobel prize winner economist Amartya Sen’s news of death," reported PTI.

Friends, thanks for your concern but it’s fake news: Baba is totally fine. We just spent a wonderful week together w/ family in Cambridge—his hug as strong as always last night when we said bye! He is teaching 2 courses a week at Harvard, working on his gender book—busy as ever! pic.twitter.com/Fd84KVj1AT — Nandana Sen (@nandanadevsen) October 10, 2023

Dr. Sen's remarkable achievements and groundbreaking work has earned him widespread acclaim and respect. Born on November 3, 1933, in Santiniketan, West Bengal, Sen's academic journey traversed across the most prestigious universities and research institutions worldwide.

Amartya Sen's bicycle was crucial to his research. In order to conduct his research, Sen cycled through the West Bengal countryside to collect data.

Keep an eye on our social channels – the 2023 prize in economic sciences will be announced in just a few hours. pic.twitter.com/2RwRDKRmld — The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 9, 2023

Sen was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1998 for his contributions to welfare economics and his pioneering work on famine, poverty, and human development. His research focused on understanding the ethical foundations of economics and advocating for the importance of addressing inequalities and promoting social justice.

Devastated to hear of the death of Amartya Sen. He had the most piercing intellect I have ever known, and he was kind and funny and gracious, and it was a joy and a privilege to teach a course with him a few years ago. A beautiful light has gone out in the world. — Cass Sunstein (@CassSunstein) October 10, 2023

In addition to his Nobel Prize, Sen has numerous prestigious positions throughout his career, including serving as a professor at esteemed universities such as Harvard, Cambridge, and Delhi School of Economics. He authored several influential books, shaping economic discourse and policy discussions, such as "Development as Freedom" and "The Idea of Justice."