PM Modi inaugurates new Nalanda University campus
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated the new Nalanda University campus near the ancient university ruins in Rajgir, Bihar. The event was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and ambassadors from 17 partner countries. Interim Vice-Chancellor Professor Abhay Kumar Singh called the occasion "historic," saying that the Prime Minister's visit and the presence of East Asia Summit diplomats made it a prestigious and auspicious occasion.
Campus features
New Nalanda campus spans over 455 acres
The new campus, which moved to its current location in 2020, spans over 455 acres and includes a Net Zero area with 100 acres of water bodies. It combines traditional and modern architecture, featuring two academic buildings with 40 classrooms, two 300-seat auditoriums, a hostel for around 550 students, a sports complex, and an international center. The university offers postgraduate and doctoral research courses along with short-term certificate courses.
Twitter Post
Watch: The inauguration ceremony here
Inauguration of the Nalanda University Campus in Bihar by PM @narendramodi. https://t.co/oJLBFHQzXY
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 19, 2024
University history
Construction for Nalanda university began in 2017
The idea for the university was proposed by then-President APJ Abdul Kalam in 2007—leading to the Bihar assembly passing a bill for its foundation. The university was officially created on November 25, 2010—by a special Act of Parliament and designated as a national institution. It began operating from a temporary location with just 14 students on September 1, 2014. The foundation stone for the permanent campus was laid by former President Pranab Mukherjee in 2016 and construction began in 2017.
Historic visit
PM also visits ruins of ancient Nalanda university
Earlier, PM Modi also visited the ancient Nalanda site, declared a United Nations heritage site in 2016. The Prime Minister was joined by Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for this occasion. On Tuesday, PM Modi was in Varanasi—his first visit to the constituency after his win in the Lok Sabha election. There he released the 17th installment of the PM-KISAN scheme.