PM Modi in Bihar to Inaugurate New Campus of Nalanda University; “Nalanda is an Identity, an Honour”, Says PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new campus of Nalanda University in Rajgir, Bihar today, Wednesday 19th June, 2024. EAM S Jaishankar and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar were present with him during the ceremony.

The new campus established by the Nalanda University Act, 2010 is located near the ancient ruins of the historic university. The act followed a decision made at the second East Asia Summit in the Philippines in 2007.

Programmes Offered in the New University;

The new university began operations in 2014 from a temporary location with 14 students. The new campus construction began in 2017. It has six different schools of studies offering courses in them – the School of Buddhist Studies, Philosophy and Comparative Religions, School of Historical Studies, School of Ecology and Environmental Studies, and School of Sustainable Development and Management.

International Support and Students;

International students get 137 scholarships for studying in the university. Since it started, it has signed Memorandum of Understanding with 17 countries for support which includes nations like Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Indonesia and Thailand. Foreign students from countries like Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, USA and Zimbabwe enrolled in postgraduate programmes for 2022-24 and 2023-25 and PhD Programmes for 2023-27.

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History of the Ancient Ruins;

Nalanda University was an acclaimed Mahavidyalay, a large buddhist monastery in the ancient kingdom of Magadha (modern day Bihar) in India. The site is located about 95 kms from Patna, the state capital. It was the most prestigious university at the time, from the fifth century CE to 1200 CE. Vedic Literature was taught there and it is believed that Chanakya was present there at a time when King Chandragupt Maurya was taught at the ancient university. It thrived for 800 years until being destroyed in the 12th Century by invader Bakhtiyar Khilji.