The author is an alumnus of the new <keyword id="20680274" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Nalanda-University" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Nalanda University" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Nalanda University">Nalanda University</keyword>’s School of Ecology and Environmental Studies - class of 2017. It 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 <keyword id="6383384" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajgir" source="Orion">Rajgir</keyword>, it was already afternoon. But the monsoon clouds and the lush, green background of the famous Rajgir Hills gave a serene feel to the makeshift campus. A town with immense historical and spiritual significance, Rajgir is enveloped by hot springs and vibrant vegetation that offer a tranquil retreat. So, my initial days were absolute bliss, reminiscing Nalanda's glorious Vedic and Buddhist past. On Wednesday, June 19, 2024, as Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> inaugurated the new campus of Nalanda University, close to the site of the ancient ruins of Nalanda in Rajgir, it brought back all the memories of my graduation days at the university. 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. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Revival of the Nalanda dream" comment="subhead" text="Revival of the Nalanda dream">Revival of the Nalanda dream</cmsannotation> 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 <keyword id="22109987" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nobel-Laureate-Amartya-Sen" source="keywords">Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen</keyword>, who served as the first chancellor of the new university. 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 <keyword id="22109988" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Golden-Age-of-India" source="keywords">Golden Age of India</keyword>," <keyword id="19899320" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM-Modi" source="keywords">PM Modi</keyword> said on Wednesday. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Look back — early years at Nalanda" comment="subhead" text="Look back — early years at Nalanda">Look back — early years at Nalanda</cmsannotation> 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! <div type="image" title="Nalanda: The new campus" agency="PTI" msid="111115479" hostid="261" sizebytes="112806" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The new campus of Nalanda University (@narendramodi / PTI)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> 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 <keyword id="115344" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nalanda-ruins" source="Orion">Nalanda ruins</keyword>, Buddhist monasteries, Shanti Stupa, Bodh Gaya, Rajgir Hills and more. 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. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="A hope for the future" comment="subhead" text="A hope for the future">A hope for the future</cmsannotation> 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!

Nalanda diaries: A 2017 alumnus' reverie as PM Modi inaugurates the historic Nalanda University

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50139149.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /> <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="80" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>, the largest democracy in the world has quite a few tricks rolled up its sleeve that we- the ordinary residents are not that aware about. 
We know that India derived its name from the Indus river and also has one of the seven wonders of the world- the Taj Mahal. 
 
But do you want to know about some other facts? 
 
Here’s listing five fewer facts about India that we all know should know and feel proud about! 
 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50138944.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /> 
 
1. India has the largest postal system in the world and also has a floating Post-office: The Indian postal system is attributed to be one of the most widely distributed postal systems in the world and as of 2011, it was reported that the country had over 154,866 post offices. What more? It also has a floating post office in <keyword id="41568" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Srinagar">Srinagar</keyword>, right in the middle of <keyword id="52804" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Dal-lake">Dal Lake</keyword>! 
 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50139091.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /> 
 
2. India boasts of the second largest rail network in the whole world: It’s a known fact that the country has been lauded for its efficient railway connectivity. But, did you also know that its rail network is the second largest in the whole world? 
 
The Indian railway network comprises 115,000 km of track over a route of 65,808 km and 7,112 stations. Indian Railways is also known to carry 8.39 more than 23 million passengers a day and 1058.81 million tons of freight in a year. 
 
 <img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50139131.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /> 
 
3. India has more than 40000 mosques in different parts of the country: India also has the most number of mosques as compared to any country, proving how accepting it is of different religions. 
 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50139055.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /> 
 
4. One of the oldest university was found in India: India is also the country with one of the first universities, which flourished from 600 BC to 500 AD. At one stage, it was said that <keyword id="166686" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Nalanda-University">Nalanda University</keyword> was the choice of more than 10,500 students that too from different parts of the world such as Greece, Babylon and China. 
 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50139000.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /> 
 
5. It is also home to one of the oldest cities in the world: the city of <keyword id="6357203" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Varanasi">Varanasi</keyword>, which is a popular tourist destination for people within and outside India, is also regarded as one of the oldest and sacred cities in the world. It is said that the city was found 5000 years ago by Lord Shiva. 
 
Image credit: knowrealindia.info, Indiatimes

Five
facts about India we bet you didn’t know about!

<ul><li>President Droupadi <keyword id="782539" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="murmu" source="Orion">Murmu</keyword> hosted a grand dinner at the Bharat Mandapam for G20 leaders and delegates.</li><li>The President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the guests at the dinner.</li><li>The guests were served a millet-rich dinner at the President's dinner.</li></ul>President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday welcomed G20 leaders and delegates at a grand dinner hosted for them at Bharat Mandapam, the venue for the Summit, here. They welcomed the guests before the start of the dinner at a dais, with its backdrop depicting the ruins of the Nalanda University in Bihar and <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>'s G20 presidency theme -- 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - One Earth, One Family, One Future'. Nalanda university ruins, a UNESCO world heritage site in Bihar, was one of the oldest universities of the world. President Murmu is hosting the ceremonial dinner for the G20 leaders, international delegates and other dignitaries at the Bharat Mandapam. The newly built international convention and exhibition centre and its verdant lawns dazzled at night with colourful illumination while its gurgling fountains and the 'Nataraja' statue placed on front of the state-of-the-art building created a pretty picture. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director and Chairman Kristalina Georgieva, dressed in Indian traditional attire Salwar Kurta, World Bank President Ajay Banga and his wife Ritu Banga and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina were among the first to arrive at the newly built convention centre in Pragati Maidan. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Millet-rich dinner" comment="subhead" text="Millet-rich dinner">Millet-rich dinner</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="F5lz1YlboAAxXSI." msid="103539551" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;An image of the dinner menu&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> An image shared by news agency ANI has revealed the millet-rich menu at the dinner hosted by President Murmu. The guests will begin the dinner with Paatram, a starter that uses foxtail millet leaf crisps with yoghurt and spiced chutney. The guests will then move on to Vanavarnam, a jackfruit galette served with glazed forest mushrooms, millet crisp and curry leaf tossed Kerala rice. The dinner also includes breads such as Mumbai Pao and Bakarkhani, a cardamom flavoured sweet flat bread. In dessert, the guests will again be served a millet dish. The guests will end the dinner with Madhurima, a cardamom-infused barnyard millet pudding. In a significant milestone under India's G20 presidency, the 55-member African Union on Saturday became a new permanent member of the grouping of the largest economies of the world. It is the first expansion of the influential bloc since its inception in 1999. All member countries of the G20 accepted Prime Minister Modi's proposal to bring the key bloc of the Global South to the high table of the world's top economies. Earlier in the day, the President has said that India's G20 Presidency theme, 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - One Earth, One Family, One Future', is a global roadmap for sustainable, inclusive, and human-centric development. "A warm welcome to all Heads of Delegations of the G20 nations, guest countries, and international organisations participating in the 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi," Murmu had said in a post on X. The G20 Summit began at the Bharat Mandapam on Saturday and will conclude on Sunday. With inputs from ANI and PTI. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/india/news/g20-leaders-summit-adopts-new-delhi-declaration/articleshow/103535369.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/india/news/g20-leaders-summit-adopts-new-delhi-declaration/articleshow/103535369.cms" target="_blank">G20 Leaders Summit adopts New Delhi Declaration</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/g20-summit-india-middle-east-europe-mega-corridor-deal-announced/articleshow/103537902.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/g20-summit-india-middle-east-europe-mega-corridor-deal-announced/articleshow/103537902.cms" target="_blank">G20 Summit: India-Middle East-Europe mega corridor deal announced</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/g20-to-take-call-on-crypto-assets-says-nirmala-sitharaman/articleshow/103538752.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/g20-to-take-call-on-crypto-assets-says-nirmala-sitharaman/articleshow/103538752.cms" target="_blank">G20 to take call on crypto assets, says Nirmala Sitharaman</a>

Paatram to Madhurima, a millet-rich dinner served at President Murmu’s G20 dinner

Dharamshala (HP), May 7 () in a reference to the coronavirus crises in his Buddha Purnima message, the Dalai Lama hursday said the world must focus on what unites it as "one human family" and meet challenges through a global, coordinated effort. The Tibetan spiritual urged promoting inter-religious understanding, underlining that all religions promote happiness of all people. "Also, in this time of serious crisis confronting the world, when we face threats to our health and we feel saddened for the family and friends we have lost, we must focus on what unites us as members of one human family," he said, in an apparent reference to the pandemic. "Accordingly, we need to reach out to each other with compassion, for it is only by coming together in a coordinated, global effort that we will meet the unprecedented challenges we face," he said. In the message released from his home here, the Dalai Lama said in an increasingly interdependent world, "our own welfare and happiness depend on many other people". "Today, the challenges we face require us to accept the oneness of humanity. Despite superficial differences between us, people are equal in their basic wish for peace and happiness," he said. He said Buddha's teachings remain relevant even today, 2,600 years after his time. The Dalai Lama said he considered himself an heir to the "Nalanda tradition". "The way Buddhism was taught and studied at Nalanda University, rooted in reason and logic, represents the zenith of its development in India." "If we are to be 21st century Buddhists, it is important that we engage in the study and analysis of Buddha's teachings, as so many did there, instead of simply relying on faith," he said. He also called for combining the approaches adopted by "modern science" and "Buddhist science". The Tibetan leader in exile, who has not made any public appearance since coronavirus outbreak, will deliver online lectures on May 16 and 17, his office announced recently. CORR ASHASH

Coronavirus: Dalai Lama calls for coordinated, global effort

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/53270504.cms" />The World Heritage Committee announced some good news for India. This year, UNESCO put 12 new sites on the World Heritage List out of which three were from India. 
 
This is the first time when any country got three sites included in the World Heritage List in a single session of the committee meeting which was held in Turkey's Istanbul city. 
 
Now, Khangchendzonga National Park (KNP) in Sikkim, Nalanda University in Bihar and The Capitol Complex in Chandigarh are in World Heritage Sites list. 
 
"Much awaited dream come true. CapitolComplex of Chandigarh now a WorldHeritage site. Thanks @UNESCO @RuchiraKamboj," India's Culture Ministry tweeted. 
 
Ruchira Kamboj is India's Ambassador to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). 
 
"Khangchendzonga National Park of India is now a WorldHeritage site. Thank you @UNESCO @IrinaBokova," it said in another tweet, tagging UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. 
 
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		Just inscribed as <a href="https://twitter.com/UNESCO">@UNESCO</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldHeritage?src=hash">#WorldHeritage</a> Site: Khangchendzonga National Park<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash">#India</a> <a href="https://t.co/6aA5NYn5p2">pic.twitter.com/6aA5NYn5p2</a>
	— UNESCO (@UNESCO) <a href="https://twitter.com/UNESCO/status/754612118628995072">July 17, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
 
The Capitol Complex in Chandigarh is a part of the group of 17 sites across France, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Argentina, Japan and India designed by Franco-Swiss architect Le Corbusier. 
 
Khangchendzonga National Park is also a treat to watch as it includes a unique diversity of plains, valleys, lakes, glaciers and spectacular, snow-capped mountains covered with ancient forests, including the world's third highest peak, Mount Khangchendzonga which has an elevation of 8,586 m. 
 
Now, there are 35 sites in India that are embedded as UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. 
 
Out of these 35, here are our 10 top favourites:

You Searched For "Nalanda University" and got 5 results

Nalanda diaries: A 2017 alumnus' reverie as PM Modi inaugurates the historic Nalanda University

Deekshith Pinto

Five facts about India we bet you didn’t know about!

Poulomi Das

Paatram to Madhurima, a millet-rich dinner served at President Murmu’s G20 dinner

BI India Bureau

Coronavirus: Dalai Lama calls for coordinated, global effort

PTI

3 Indian sites are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Here are our top 10 favourites from India

Akanksha Jain