8th Prof. Suresh Tendulkar Memorial Lecture

Prof. Seetha Prabhu (Visiting Professor and Senior Advisor (SDGs) at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai) delivered the Eighth Prof Suresh Tendulkar Memorial Lecture on "Poverty and Human Development in an Unequal World" on 17 September 2021 over Zoom.

This lecture series hosted by the Symbiosis School of Economics (SSE) has, over the years, attracted distinguished economists who have elucidated on the various paradigms of poverty – a theme relevant given the late Professor Tendulkar's extensive work in that field.

Dr. Niharika Singh (Assistant Professor, SSE) warmly welcomed everyone and introduced Prof. Suresh Tendulkar to the audience. Dr. Deepa Gupta (Associate Professor, SSE), in her opening remarks and thanked Prof. Seeta Prabhu for delivering the lecture and choosing an apt topic on "Poverty and Human Development in an Unequal World". Dr. Varun Miglani (Assistant Professor, SSE) introduced Prof. Seetha Prabhu.

Professor Prabhu spoke of how the global shock of covid 2019 exposed structural faults of inequality and resource-intensive development, leaving a huge impact on the global poor. Prof. Prabhu mentioned that Economic growth has come at a very high cost – rapid resource depletion and the threat of climate change. She discussed the trends in Human Development Values in Emerging and Asian Countries and highlighted the increase in socioeconomic inequalities. She stressed the urgent need to enhance capabilities in these regions. Social sectors that enhance individuals' basic capabilities should be considered public goods by policymakers. In her lecture, using the international experience, she discussed the various factors that make for successful poverty and social sector policy?

The session finished off with a round of questions from the audience, followed by the vote of thanks proposed by Dr. Varun Miglani. Prof. Jyoti Chandiramani (Director, SSE) thanked Prof. Prabhu for an intellectual treat and Mrs. Sunethra Suresh Tendulkar and her daughter Ms. Juhi Tendulkar for gracing the occasion