Amartya Sen Award for Hyd scholar

Hyderabad: A city scholar has won the prestigious Amartya Sen Award given to 'Distinguished Social Scientists'. Dr Vamsi Vakulabharanam, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Hyderabad, has been chosen for the Award, newly instituted this year by the Indian Council for Social Sciences Research (ICSSR). In recognition of his distinguished work Dr Vamsi will be given a citation, plaque and a cash amount of Rs 10 lakhs at a function to be organized later in New Delhi. Dr Vamsi is presently working on poverty in India, China, Japan and a few other Asian countries. The ICSSR instituted the Amartya Sen Award at the behest of Union HRD Ministry. The Minister Kapil Sibal, while making an announcement to this effect in February last said that it was a part of the five-point agenda "to rejuvenate social sciences " in the country. "Unless we are able to lift the quality of research in India in social sciences, we will not be able to get the kind of data which are fundamental for policy makers to take decisions", he added, signifying the importance the government attached to the Award. The Minister also proposed a Social Science Innovation Centre as part of his five-point scheme. Pointing out that brilliant scholars in science subjects were given Bhatnagar Awards but there were no equivalent ones for social sciences, he said the Noble Laureate Dr Amartya Sen would be honoured by instituting as many as ten annual awards in different social sciences such as economics, sociology and history. The awards are open not only to resident scholars from India but also to Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs).