哈佛大學哲學與經濟學教授，印度經濟學家，以其福利經濟學和社會選擇理論的研究貢獻，並且長期關心社會窮人問題，於一九九八年得到諾貝爾經濟獎；一九九八至二○○四年擔任劍橋三一學院校長。他探討饑荒原因的研究，在緩解糧食短缺的問題上有實際的成效。
沈恩著作等身，包括：Choice of Techniques, 1960、Collective Choice and Social Welfare, 1970、On Economic Inequality, 1973、Poverty and Famines : An Essay on Entitlements and Deprivation, 1981、Choice, Welfare and Measurement, 1982、Resources, Values, and Development, 1984、Commodities and Capabilities, 1985、On Ethics and Economics, 1987、Hunger and Public Action, 1989、Inequality Reexamined, 1992、The Quality of Life, 1993、India: Economic Development and Social Opportunity, 1995、Social Choice Re-Examined, 1997、Development as Freedom, 1999、Freedom, Rationality, and Social Choice: The Arrow Lectures and Other Essays, 2000、Rationality and Freedom, 2002、The Argumentative Indian, 2005、Identity and Violence: The Illusion of Destiny (Issues of Our Time) , 2006、Mismeasuring Our Lives: Why GDP Doesn't Add Up, 2010、Peace and Democratic Society, 2011。