PM Narendra Modi Inaugurates New Nalanda University Campus in Rajgir, Built at INR 1749 Crore

New Delhi: The Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi inaugurated new campus of the Nalanda University at Rajgir in Bihar on June 19, 2024. PM Modi asserted that the Nalanda University is a symbol of India's intellectual tradition and active cultural interaction, saying, "Nalanda is the proclamation of this truth: books may burn in the flames of fire, but the flames of fire cannot destroy knowledge." The university represents individuality, respect, and pride. The PM also visited the ancient ruins of Nalanda and planted a sapling of Bodhi tree in the campus which was brought from Bodh Gaya. 

The Parliament of India established the Nalanda University through the Nalanda University Act, 2010 which gave the foundation for implementing the decisions made at the second East Asia Summit (EAS) (Philippines, 2007). The summit concluded the idea of the establishment of the Nalanda University as an “international institution for pursuit of intellectual, philosophical, historical and spiritual studies.” It began operations in 2014 from a makeshift facility with 14 students, with development beginning in 2017.

Who Were Present at the Inauguration of the Nalanda University New Campus?

Digniteries like Governor of Bihar, Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister of Bihar, Shri Nitish Kumar, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, MoS for External Affairs, Shri Pabitra Margherita and Chancellor of the University, Prof. Aravind Panagariya were present at the inaugural event. 17 Ambassadors from participating countries also attended the event.

What did the PM Say About the Inauguration of the Nalanda University New Campus?

PM Narendra Modi said, “The renaissance of Nalanda University near its ancient ruins will introduce India’s potential to the world. Nalanda is not just a renaissance of India’s past, the heritage of many countries and Asia is linked to it. In days to come, Nalanda University will once again become a major centre for our cultural exchange.”

What are the Features of the New Campus of the Nalanda University at Rajgir?

The important characteristics of the Nalanda University new campus are as follows:

• The new campus was built at INR 1749 crore.
• It comprises two academic blocs with 40 classrooms.
• The total seating capacity of the students is 1900.
• There are two auditoriams each having a capacity of 300 seats.
• The campus hostel can accommodate 550 students.
• The campus also has an international centre.
• It has an amphitheatre with a capacity of upto 200 individual.
• The campus also has a sport complex and a faculty club. 
• The campus is designed as “Net Zero” green campus with solar plants, domestic drinking water treatment plants, water recycling plant, 100acres of water bodies and many more.
• The university offers PG, doctoral research and certificate courses.
• There are 137 scholarships for the international students.

What is the History of the Nalanda University?

The ancient Nalanda University was founded in the 5th century during the golden period of Gupta empire under the reign of Kumargupta 1. The university attracted students from all over the world such as China, Korea, Japan, Tibet, Mongolia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia etc. The Nalanda University reached at its peak between 5th century and 9th century. 

In the year of 1193, an Invader Bakhityar Khilji demolished the monastery situated at the Nalanda University. He also killed the monks and burnt the university library which was the main source of knowledge. The fire kept on burning the manuscripts for several months. As per historians, the university preserved the real wealth of India in terms of education.

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