Economist and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on Sunday expressed hope that Kerala can definitely contribute to strengthening secularism in India as a whole in the coming days.
Prof. Sen was speaking online at the inaugural session of the three-day ‘Vision 2031: An International Conference on Development and Democracy’ organized by the Kerala State Planning Board. He stressed the importance of protecting secularism and its further development, noting that while secularism had weakened in India, it remained strong in Kerala, a state he described as a “birthday” as it would celebrate its 75th year in 2031.
Prof. The dream highlighted Kerala’s historical openness to the world at large. Such receptivity to outside ideas was also the basis of ancient India’s great intellectual achievements, he said. He gave the example of ancient Indian mathematics and the influence of Greek and Babylonian mathematics on it.
Historian Romila Thapar, who also joined the event online, said she had no doubt that Kerala would lead the way for further development in the field of education.
Kerala has made impressive progress in areas such as literacy and education, she said. “Literacy is virtually universal and education programs focus not only on reading and writing but also on understanding the world we live in. This is to be greatly commended,” Professor 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 transforming food systems to nourish people. She described Kerala as a “shining example in sustainable development and transformation of food systems”. The state’s focus on local, nutritious and highly economic products while ensuring sustainability and climate resilience reduces dependence on external food supplies and promotes and strengthens food self-sufficiency, said Dr. Thilsted.
Ambassador of Palestine to India, Abdullah Abu Shawesh, and Aymee Alejandra Díaz Negrin, a member of the provincial government of Havana, Cuba, also spoke.
Published – 15 Feb 2026 22:10 IST