The new Nalanda University, envisaged as a centre of inter-civilisational dialogue, is also a ‘Net Zero Green Campus’.
- It is located near the ancient Nalanda ruins and was established under the Nalanda University Act 2010 of Parliament.
- The decision at the 2nd East Asia Summit (EAS) in the Philippines (2007) provided the basis to establish NU.
Ancient Nalanda University
- Establishment: Founded by Kumargupta I in the 5th century CE and remained a centre of learning till the 12th century CE.
- Architecture
- It was a monastic University, a Mahavihara (residential and educational buildings).
- It also includes stupas, shrines, and important artworks in stucco, stone and metal.
- Educational Excellence
- It had students from China, Tibet, Central Asia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, and various other countries from the southeastern parts of Asia.
- Veda, fine arts, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, politics and the art of warfare were major disciplines.
- Admission to the university was strictly by merit. Exams were conducted by trained gatekeepers.
- Foreign visitors
- In the 7th century CE, Chinese scholars I-Qing and Xuan Zang visited Nalanda, then called Nala.
- Xuan Zang studied yogashastra at Nalanda under Chancellor Shilabhadra, the highest authority in yoga.
- Recognition: It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2016.
Major institutions of learning in ancient India
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