Nalanda University

Recently, the Prime Minister of India inaugurated the new Nalanda University campus near the ancient ruins of Nalanda in Rajgir, Bihar.

Key Highlights

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• Location: Present day Rajgir, Bihar
• Founder: Kumar Gupta (Shakraditya) of the Gupta dynasty in the early 5th century and was the world’s first residential university.
• It prospered for 600 years until the 12th century.
• It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2016 by UNESCO.
• It has been listed as an ‘Institute of National Importance’ by the central government. 
• It offers postgraduate (PG) and PhD research courses and short-term certificate courses.

 

Monastic-cum-scholastic features of Nalanda University: 

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• In ancient times, it was primarily a place where monks and nuns lived and studied. 
• The head of the institution was known as the “Mahathera” or “Great Elder.”
• It used to teach all major philosophies of Buddhism.  

 

Foreign Travellers Account of Nalanda University 

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• Hiuen Tsang: During King Harsha's reign, Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang visited and stayed in Nalanda both as a student and a teacher and wrote a detailed account of the university. 
• Fa-Hien: 1st Chinese Buddhist pilgrim.

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Major Scholars

• Nagarjuna (Madhyamika Shunyavad)
•  Aryabhatta, the astronomer.

 

Destruction and Rediscovery

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• It was destroyed in the 12th century AD by Bakhtiyar Khilji (Turkish ruler & Qutbuddin Aibak's general).
• It was rediscovered in 1812 by Scottish surveyor Francis Buchanan-Hamilton.
• Later officially identified in 1861 by Sir Alexander Cunningham