KU plans special convocation to honour Amartya Sen

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, DEC. 24. The University of Kerala is honouring Prof. Amartya Sen, Nobel Laureate in Economics, 1998, by conferring on him, the honorary degree of the Doctor of Letters, at a special convocation to be called on December 28, at the University Senate hall, here.

The Governor of Kerala, Mr. S.S. Kang, who is also the Chancellor of the University, will confer the degree on him at the convocation ceremony to be held at 11 a.m. on that day.

The senate of the university will hold a special meeting just before the ceremony for the supplication of Grace. The `academic procession' will start soon after this meeting. At the head of the procession will be the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. B. Ekbal. The recipient of the degree, as well as the chancellor, pro- chancellor, vice-chancellor and the registrar of the university, will be attired in academic robes.

The vice-chancellor will deliver the citation. The chancellor will then confer the degree and also present the convocation address. This will be followed by the acceptance speech by Prof. Amartya Sen. The function will draw to a close with the return procession of the dignitaries, accompanied by the members of the Syndicate and Senate and deans of various academic departments of the university.

The Kerala University had done away with the general convocation ceremony for the award of degrees, in the year 1971. Since then such functions have been called only for the presentation of degrees like D.Litt. The last such occasion was in 1996.

In the history of the more than 60 year-old university, honorary degrees have been conferred on 19 persons, the first being Sir. C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer, who was honoured with the L.L.D. degree. Four others have also received this degree. The D.Sc. degree has been awarded to four. Starting from L. Mutthaiah Bhagavathar, 10 eminent persons have so far been conferred with the D.Litt. In 1986, Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai and 10 years later, three veterans, Dr. K.M. George, Sooranadu Kunjan Pillai and Prof. M.P. Appan, were honoured with the D.Litt. degree.

Prof. Amartya Sen is the second Nobel Laureate to be honoured by the University of Kerala, the first being Prof.Ilia Prigoj, winner of the prize in Chemistry.

Besides special invitees, the general public can also attend the convocation ceremony.

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