PM Modi Inaugurates Nalanda University: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the new campus of Nalanda University in Rajgir, Bihar, on Wednesday. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and ambassadors from 17 nations are expected to attend the event.

“It’s a very special day for our education sector. At around 10:30 AM today, the new campus of Nalanda University will be inaugurated at Rajgir. Nalanda has a strong connection to our glorious past. This university will surely go a long way in catering to the educational needs of the youth,” PM Modi wrote on X.

It’s a very special day for our education sector. At around 10:30 AM today, the new campus of the Nalanda University would be inaugurated at Rajgir. Nalanda has a strong connect with our glorious past. This university will surely go a long way in catering to the educational needs… pic.twitter.com/sJh6cndEve

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 19, 2024

Key Facts about Nalanda University:

1. Location: The new campus is situated near the ancient ruins of Nalanda, and the university was re-established by the Nalanda University Act of 2010, following a decision made at the second East Asia Summit in 2007.
2. Historical Significance: Originally founded in the fifth century, Nalanda University was a renowned learning center for 800 years before being destroyed in the 12th century.
3. Modern Revival: The contemporary university began operations in 2014 at a provisional site, with construction of the new campus starting in 2017.
4. International Support: Seventeen countries have signed MoUs to support the university, including Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, New Zealand, Portugal, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Singapore, South Korea, Indonesia, Laos, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Thailand, China, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
5. Scholarships: The university offers 137 scholarships to international students across its six schools, which include Buddhist Studies, Philosophy & Comparative Religions, Historical Studies, Ecology and Environmental Studies, and Sustainable Development and Management.
6. Diverse Student Body: Students from a wide array of countries, including Argentina, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Liberia, Myanmar, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, USA, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe, are enrolled in its postgraduate and PhD programs.
7. Campus Facilities: The campus features two academic blocks with 40 classrooms seating approximately 1,900 students, two auditoriums with 300 seats each, and a student hostel for around 550 students.
8. Additional Amenities: Facilities include an international center, an amphitheater with a 2,000-person capacity, a faculty club, and a sports complex.
9. Sustainability: The campus is a ‘Net Zero’ Green Campus with solar power installations, water treatment and recycling facilities, 100 acres of water bodies, and various eco-friendly amenities.
10. Partnership Vision: Nalanda University is envisioned as a collaborative project between India and East Asia Summit (EAS) countries, with the original university considered one of the world’s first residential universities, founded around 1,600 years ago.