Ahead of inaugurating the new campus of Nalanda University in Bihar’s Rajgir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday visited and took a tour of the ruins of the ancient Nalanda Mahavihara.
The visit marks the first visit by the Prime Minister to the State after the Lok Sabha election.
The ancient Nalanda University, established around 1600 years ago, is considered to be among the first residential universities in the world.
The new university campus is created to be a replica of the historic Nalanda University.
In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, “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 with our glorious past. This university will surely go a long way in catering to the educational needs of the youth.”
PM Modi also toured the ruins of the ancient Nalanda University complex.
Highlighting Nalanda’s “strong connection with our glorious past,” PM Modi said the university will surely go a long way in catering to the educational needs of the youth.
The inauguration ceremony will be attended by several eminent people, including the heads of missions from 17 countries.
The new campus has two academic blocks with 40 classrooms, with a total seating capacity of around 1,900. It includes two auditoriums with a capacity of 300 seats each, a student hostel for around 550 students, an international center, an amphitheater that can accomodate up to 2,000 individuals, a faculty club, and a sports complex, among other facilities.
The Campus is a ‘Net Zero’ Green Campus. It is self-sustaining with solar power, domestic and drinking water treatment plants, a water recycling plant for reusing wastewater, 100 acres of water bodies, and many other environment-friendly facilities.
The university is conceived as a collaboration between India and East Asia Summit (EAS) countries, with a deep historical connection. The original Nalanda University, established around 1,600 years ago, is considered to be among the first residential universities in the world.
(With ANI input)