President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday awarded gold medals to two and degrees to 10 graduating students of Nalanda University (NU) at Rajgir and said the intention through this University is to give the youth of the world the means necessary for pursuit of intellectual, philosophical, historical and spiritual studies as used to hap-pen in the Nalanda of yore.
Addressing the first convocation of NU, the President, who is also its Visitor, said, “Renowned seats of learning like Nalanda, Takshashila, Vikramashila, Valabhi, Somapura and Odantapuri were magnets which attracted scholars from all over the world. They stood at the crossroads of many civilizations and spread knowledge far and wide. Sadly, India's modern day universities are yet to reach the top position in world rankings. We must work towards regaining that glory of the past.”
Bihar Governor Ramnath Kovind, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, NU chancellor George Yeo and founding Chancellor Amartya Sen besides the members of the governing body of the NU and representatives of eight countries were among the dignitaries present at the occasion. However External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj could not make it to the function.
The President also unveiled the construction of the sprawling university campus, which is coming up in Rajgir, 12 km from where the ancient Nalanda University stood till the 12th century, when it was razed by an invading Turkish army.
Presently the university has two streams: the School of Ecology and Environment Studies and the School of Historical Studies - in the two-year Masters Programme. The university will be admitting a new batch of students in August and will also start the new school, the School of Buddhist Studies, Philosophy and Comparative Religions.
NU has around 125 students, including about 25 foreign students from countries like China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, laos, Myanmar, Bhutan, Sri lanka, Nigeria and Brazil. With students and faculty from many countries, modern day Nalanda is a novel institution pioneering a new model of learning.
The President said, “As Visitor to Nalanda University, it is my hope that this University will truly attain the status of Nalanda of yore. There are many practices of the ancient Nalanda, which are worthy of emulation by the new Nalanda.”
He said one of the most important characteristics of ancient Nalanda was that it was an international institution where inter-Asian connections, in particular, flourished. Chinese monks like Xuan Zang, Yijing and Huichao among others visited, lived, studied and taught in Nalanda. At a later period, scholars from Tibet kept coming to Nalanda for studying Buddhism and other branches of knowledge. Monks from several other countries, including Sri lanka also came to Nalanda, revealing the diversity of religious and cultural influences on the institution. And, the traffic was not just in one direction. Monks from Nalanda spread their wisdom across the world and had reached China before Xuan Zang's visit to India.
The President said, “The 21st century is expected to be an 'Asian century' with countries of this continent regaining their pre-eminence in the world through all-round development. Nalanda University is a symbol of Asian resurgence. At a time when the world is facing complex challenges and the destinies of the peoples across the continents are inter-linked, institutions of knowledge such as Nalanda are of critical importance. Nalanda stands not merely for quality education but also for global cooperation.”
CM Nitish Kumar recalled the beginning of the revival of the Nalanda University and referred to former President APJ Abdul Kalam, who had conceptualized this idea in 2006. The Bihar Government came out with a legislation and allotted about 450 acres of land for the purpose. later on the Centre passed an Act from the Parliament and the mega project was handed over to it. He also expressed happiness that Unesco has accorded World heritage site status to the old Nalanda University ruins.