Dr. Amartya K. Sen receives an honourary Doctor of Literature (D.Litt.) degree at a special Convocation held during the Learned Societies Conference, U of S, 22 May-8 June, 1979. Visible are (left standing) N.K. Cram, University Secretary; John G. Diefenbaker (shaking hands with recipient), University Chancellor; and R.W. Begg (right), University President.

Bio/Historical Note: Amartya Kumar Sen (born 1933) is an Indian economist, who since 1972 has taught and worked in the United Kingdom and the United States. Sen has made contributions to welfare economics, social choice theory, economic and social justice, economic theories of famines, decision theory, development economics, public health, and measures of well-being of countries.

Bio/historical note: A special convocation was held 2 June 1979 to celebrate the "Learned Societies Conference". It was 20 years since the last conference was held at the University of Saskatchewan. Honourary Doctor of Literature (D.Litt.) degrees were conferred on four outstanding scholars: Jean Sutherland Boggs, Sir Moses I. Finley, Amartya Kumar Sen, and Arthur G.C. Whalley.