IndiaIt was a misty monsoon morning when I stepped out of the then-domestic airport of Patna in August 2015. Though I was one of the 50+ students of the second-ever batch, the university had arranged a cab. That was my first glimpse of Nalanda University caring for its students, attempting to build a strong foundation for a marvellous future reminiscent of its past glory.
When I reached our hostel in
On Wednesday, June 19, 2024, as Prime Minister
Once considered the greatest centre of learning in the ancient world, Nalanda University was established in the 5th century during the Gupta Empire. It hosted renowned pilgrims like Xuanzang and Yijing, who spread the knowledge originating from Nalanda to the nooks and corners of East Asia. The institution thrived as Nalanda Mahavihara, a Buddhist monastery, under the Pala Empire between the 8th to 12th centuries. After flourishing for almost 800 years, it slowly receded into the shadows of history, its downfall triggered by the attack from Afghan invaders.
The dream of reviving the university was an undying aspiration for the people in the Nalanda region of Bihar as well as the enthusiasts of Buddhist history. The idea of a multi-national collaborative institution was first proposed by the former President of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and
The university was established by the Parliament of India through the Nalanda University Act of 2010, to implement the decisions of the East Asia Summit (EAS) for establishing an “international institution for the pursuit of intellectual, philosophical, historical and spiritual studies”. The University started its functioning in 2014 from a makeshift location in Rajgir town with less than 20 students.
The construction of the new campus started in 2017, conceptualised to be the first large-scale net-zero campus in India. Being an international university, it has been hosting students from over a dozen different regions like Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, and even Europe and Africa.
"Nalanda is more than just a name, it's a mantra, an identity, a declaration that books might get destroyed in fire, but knowledge persists. The revival of Nalanda will mark the beginning of the
As a student in the second batch, my decision to move from Bengaluru to Bihar raised several eyebrows back home. But it took only a few days for me to realise that it was the right decision!
Initial days were not without their challenges, the makeshift buildings lacked several basic amenities. Lack of access to sufficient healthcare facilities was a major challenge for many students. Safety was another prime concern as we were advised not to step out of the institute’s premises beyond sunset. The commute was a challenge, and we had to depend entirely on the university’s shuttle services. The town lacked safe and hygienic food outlets and places to shop or even hang out. But it was worth it!
When I joined the university, only two schools were operational — Historical Studies and Ecology and Environmental Studies. Despite infrastructural challenges, the university managed to put together an excellent faculty group. The curriculum was insightful, to say the least. The interdisciplinary nature of learning exposed us to knowledge from several distinct fields. Participatory and explorative learning modules helped us engage more with the topics rather than just reading about them.
Even the atmosphere among the students was highly energetic and inspiring, at least in the beginning. Most students played different sports with limited facilities almost every single day, and we routinely visited nearby cities like Patna and historic sites like
However, by the time we reached the second half of our two-year coursework, we started to see a few cracks in our Nalanda dream. Allegations of sexual harassment and administrative apathy towards the needs of the students plagued our stay during the last two semesters. The quality of the teaching faculty also dropped as not many renowned professors would agree to work from such a remote location.
Overall, I found my time at Nalanda extremely enjoyable, enlightening(!), and also challenging in various ways. I witnessed the struggles of establishing a world-class university in a remote and economically disadvantaged area. I also understood how political will and competent leadership can build institutions to great heights, while a few oversights can throw umpteen hurdles in our path to glory.
Today, the University offers postgraduate and doctoral research courses to over 200 students every year, over 75% of whom are international students. This is in contrast to what we witnessed during our batch when over 75% of students were from India alone. The campus has been turned into a hub of sustainable practices, with 100 acres of water bodies and a 6.5 MW on-grid solar plant. A Library with a capacity to hold 3 Lakh Books is scheduled to be completed later this year.
During our first convocation ceremony in 2016, former President Pranab Mukherjee addressed us and said, “Universities must be the bastions of free speech and expression. It must be the arena where diverse and conflicting schools of thought contend. There should be no room for intolerance, prejudice and hatred within the spaces of this institution. Further, it must act as a flag bearer for the coexistence of multiple views, thoughts and philosophies.”
As the Nalanda dream takes shape and captures our country's imagination today, thousands of people like me who have been a part of this glorious journey are hoping that our beloved seat of learning realises this vision to be a bastion of free and independent thinking and an inspiration for peace and progress, from India to the world!