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2 min readThiruvanananthapuramFeb 16, 2026 07:06 AM IST
Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen. (File Photo)
Well-known economist and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen said on Sunday that his confidence in the invulnerability of secularism in India has weakened.
Addressing an international conference on development and democracy, organised by the state planning board, Sen said: “As I grew older, I asked myself whether I have been able to hold on to the ideals that I had strongly held as a young man. I feel not all of them. I must acknowledge the weakening of my confidence in the invulnerability of secularism in India. The future of secularism depends on whether we can resist the well organised thrusting of smallness on this country,’’ he said in the online address to the inaugural session.
Sen, who had played a critical role in popularising the Kerala model of development, hailed the state’s achievements in human development indices.
He said his optimistic expectation regarding human development did not go wrong. “Things have been as I hoped. But I would have been happier still if we could add to that also the safeguarding and further advancement of secularism which has remained strong in Kerala, but weakened in India. We have to see whether Kerala can make a definitive contribution to India as a whole.’’
Recalling the days of Kerala formation in 1956 and the subsequent Assembly election which witnessed the Communists getting power in the state, Sen, who was in Kolkata those days, said skeptics used to explain to him that Kerala being one of the poorest states in India did not have the money for human development. Now, Kerala has climbed up in terms of per capita income, removal of poverty, basic education and restraining fertility, he said.
Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More
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