Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Ancient Nalanda University inaugurated after 800 years

Ancient Nalanda University (NU) was formally inaugurated after 800 years on 19 September 2014 by Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in Rajgir near Nalanda, Bihar. 

The 455-acre University campus was opened in the presence of Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and NU Vice-Chancellor Gopa Sabharwal. 

The University came into existence on 25 November 2010 when the Nalanda University Act, 2010 was implemented and Noble Laureate Amartya Sen was appointed as the Chancellor of the university in 2012.

Seven Schools of revived NU

The revived NU will have seven schools for post-graduate and doctoral students.  Courses in science, philosophy, spirituality and social sciences will be offered in this refurbished university.

The seven schools will be Economics and Management, Information Sciences and Technology, Linguistics and Literature, International Relations, Peace Studies and Buddhist studies Philosophy and Comparative Religion besides Historical studies, Ecology and Environment.

The classes in the School of Ecology and Environmental Studies and School of Historical Studies began on 1 September 2014 with 15 students and 11 teachers at the under construction residential building of the university. 

The fully-residential university is expected to be completed by 2020. 

Funding of the NU
For setting up the University, Union government sanctioned 2727 crore rupees for the construction of the high class campus of the University in 10 years. 

The University also received foreign support through an initiative of the Indian government and 18 East Asia Summit (EAS) countries. It received contributions from countries like China who contributed one million US dollars, Singapore five million US dollars and Australia one million Australian dollars. Meanwhile, Japan and Singapore will be financing the construction work on the campus.

Nalanda University Act, 2010
On 28 March 2006, APJ Abdul Kalam, the President of India at that time, proposed the idea for revival of Nalanda University. The Nalanda University Bill, 2010 was passed on 21 August 2010 in Rajya Sabha and on 26 August 2010 it was passed in Lok Sabha. The bill received Presidential assent on 21 September 2010 thereby becoming an Act.

About ancient Nalanda University
The ancient Nalanda University was established in 427 AD during the reign of Gupta king Sakraditya. It was destroyed in 1193 AD by the Turkish army of the Bakhtiyar Khilji, the military general of the army of Qutb-ud-din Aibak.

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