PM Modi inaugurates new campus of ancient Nalanda University

The historic university thrived for 800 years until it was destroyed in the 12th century

June 19, 2024

PM Modi unveils new Nalanda campus built at a cost of Rs.1749 crore

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new campus of Nalanda University in Rajgir, Bihar, on Wednesday. The new campus is near the ancient ruins of Nalanda University, originally established in the fifth century, and was a renowned institution attracting students worldwide. The historic university thrived for 800 years until it was destroyed in the 12th century.

The new campus was established through the Nalanda University Act, 2010. This Act followed a decision made at the second East Asia Summit in the Philippines in 2007. The modern university began operations in 2014 from a temporary location with 14 students. Construction of the new campus started in 2017. A total amount of Rs.1750 crore was spent on the recreation of this historic ancient university.

Courses offered at modern Nalanda University

The university now hosts six schools: the School of Buddhist Studies, Philosophy & Comparative Religions; the School of Historical Studies; the School of Ecology and Environmental Studies; and the School of Sustainable Development and Management.

Nalanda University has support from 17 other countries, including Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Indonesia, and Thailand, which have signed MoUs. The university offers 137 scholarships to international students. International students enrolled in the postgraduate programs for 2022-24 and 2023-25, and the PhD program for 2023-27, include students from Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ghana, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, the USA, and Zimbabwe.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Sinha, and other delegates are present at the new campus of Nalanda University. Ambassadors from 17 countries also attended the event.

Earlier in the day, Modi visited the ruins of ancient Nalanda, a UNESCO world heritage site. The ruins of ancient Nalanda comprise the archaeological remains of a monastic and scholastic institution. It includes stupas, shrines, viharas (residential and educational buildings), and important artworks in stucco, stone and metal.

The recreation of Nalanda University lagged a lot. In 2006, the Congress-led UPA government appointed Nobel laureate Amartya Sen as Chancellor, and his nine-year period ran into full of controversies facing charges of nepotism in appointments and financial irregularities. Sen resigned in 2015 and construction works started in 2017.

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