Kerala can contribute to strengthening secularism: Amartya Sen

Economist and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on Sunday expressed the hope that Kerala, in the coming days, can make a definitive contribution to India as a whole in strengthening secularism.

Prof. Sen was addressing online the inaugural session of the three-day ‘Vision 2031: An International Conference on Development and Democracy’ organised by the Kerala State Planning Board. Underscoring the importance of safeguarding secularism and its further advancement, he noted that while secularism has weakened in India, it has remained strong in Kerala, a State which he described as the “birthday girl” as it would celebrate its 75th year of formation in 2031.

Prof. Sen drew attention to Kerala’s historical openness to the world at large. Such receptiveness to ideas from outside were also the foundation of the great intellectual achievements of ancient India, he said. He cited the example of ancient Indian mathematics and the influence on it of Greek and Babylonian mathematics.

Historian Romila Thapar, who also joined the event online, said she had no doubt that Kerala would show the way to further development in the area of education.

Kerala has made impressive advance in areas such as literacy and education, she said. “Literacy is virtually universal and educational programmes focus not just on reading and writing but understanding the world in which we live. This is to be strongly commended,” Prof. Thapar said.

‘Food sovereignty’

World Food Prize laureate Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted said there is much that other Indian States as well as countries in Africa and Asia can learn from Kerala in the transformation of food systems to nourish the people. She described Kerala as “a shining example in sustainable development and transformation of food systems.” The State’s focus on local, nutritious and high economic value products, while ensuring sustainability and climate resilience, reduces dependency on external food supplies and promotes and enhances food sovereignty, Dr. Thilsted said.

Ambassador of Palestine to India Abdullah Abu Shawesh and Aymee Alejandra Díaz Negrin, member of the Provincial Government of Havana, Cuba, also spoke.