PM Modi Inaugurates Nalanda University's New Campus: Key Facts

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated the new campus of the Nalanda University at Rajgir in Bihar.

Ahead of the inauguration, the Prime Minister said that it's a very special day for our education sector. He stated that Nalanda has a strong connect "with our glorious past" and the university will surely go a long way in catering to the educational needs of the youth.

Things To Know About The Campus

The university has a profound historical connection. The original Nalanda University, established around 1,600 years ago, is considered one of the world's first residential universities. In 2016, the ruins of Nalanda were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The campus features two academic blocks with 40 classrooms, offering a total seating capacity of approximately 1,900. Additionally, it boasts two auditoriums, each seating 300 people, and a student hostel accommodating around 550 students. Other facilities include an International Centre, an amphitheater with a capacity of up to 2,000 individuals, a Faculty Club, and a Sports Complex, among others.

The campus is a 'Net Zero' green campus, designed to be self-sustainable. It includes a solar power plant, domestic and drinking water treatment facilities, a water recycling plant for wastewater reuse, and 100 acres of water bodies, along with many other environmentally friendly features.

A suggestion by then-President APJ Abdul Kalam, the Bihar Assembly passed a bill to establish a new university. The government allocated 455 acres for the project, and on November 25, 2010, the university was officially created by a special Act of Parliament and designated as a national institution, according to a report in The Hindu.

The new university began operations on September 1, 2014, at a temporary location with just 14 students. This provisional site, the International Convention Centre in Rajgir, situated 10 km from ancient Nalanda, was inaugurated in September 2014 by then-External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

In 2016, former President Pranab Mukherjee laid the foundation stone for the permanent campus in Pilkhi village, Rajgir, with construction commencing in 2017.