History

Origin
The remnants of the library of Nalanda University which is reported to have burned for three months
after the invaders set fire to it, ransacked and destroyed the monasteries, and drove the monks from the
site.
Historical studies suggest that the University of Nalanda was established during the reign of a king
called akrditya.!" #oth $uan%ang and &ra'(avarman cite him as the founder, as does a seal
discovered at the site.)"
Nalanda University was the first great university in recorded history*" and one of the world+s first
residential university as it had dormitories for students. ,t is also one of the most famous universities. ,n
its heyday, it accommodated over -.,... students and /,... teachers.0" The university was considered
an architectural masterpiece, and was marked by a lofty wall and one gate. Nalanda had eight separate
compounds and ten temples, along with many other meditation halls and classrooms. 1n the grounds
were lakes and parks. The library was located in a nine storied building where meticulous copies of
te2ts were produced.
The Tang 3ynasty 4hinese pilgrim and scholar $uan%ang studied, taught and spent nearly -! years at
Nalanda University.5" He has left detailed accounts of the university in the *th century.-." 6i'ing has
also left information about the other kingdoms lying on the route between 4hina and the Nland
university. He was responsible for the translation of a large number of #uddhist scriptures from
7anskrit into 4hinese.
Destruction and demise
8ccording to records of history, Nalanda University was destroyed three times by invaders, but only
rebuilt twice. The first time was by the Huns under 9ihirakula during the reign of 7kandagupta :;!!<
;)* 83=. #ut 7kanda+s successors promptly undertook the restoration, improving it with even grander
buildings, and endowed it with enough resources to let the university sustain itself in the longer term.
--"
The second destruction came with an assault by the >audas in the early *th century. This time, the
Hindu king Harshavardhana :).)<);0 83= restored the #uddhist university.--"
The final blow came when it was violently destroyed in an Turkish attack led by #akhtiyar ?hil'i in
--5@.--" ,n --5@, the Nalanda University was sacked by #akhtiyar ?hil'i, a 9uslim TurkA-/" this
event is seen by scholars as a late milestone in the decline of #uddhism in ,ndia. The &ersian historian
9inha'BiB7ira', in his chronicle the Tabaquat-I-Nasiri, reported that thousands of monks were burned
alive and thousands beheaded as ?hil'i tried his best to uproot #uddhism.citation needed"
Academia
8t its peak, the university attracted scholars and students from ?orea, Capan, 4hina, Tibet, ,ndonesia,
Turkey, >reece, and &ersia.0" -@" -;" The sub'ects taught included religion, history, law, linguistics,
medicine, public health, architecture, metallurgy, pharmacology, sculpture and astronomy.
Notable scholars who studied at Nalanda included Harshavardhana, Dasubandhu, 3harmapala,
7uvishnu, 8sanga, 7ilabhadra, 3harmakirti, 7hantarakshita, Nagar'una, 8ryadeva, &admasambhava
:the reputed founder of #uddhism in Tibet=, $uan%ang and Hwui Ei.-!"
Formation and reconstruction
Nalanda University Bill
1n /0 9arch /..) then &resident of ,ndia 8.&.C.8bdul ?alam proposed the idea while addressing the
Coint 7ession of the #ihar Didhan 9andal for revival of Nalanda university. The Nalanda University
#ill, /.-.-)" was passed on /- 8ugust /.-. in Fa'ya 7abha and /) 8ugust /.-. in Eok 7abha. The
bill received &residential assent on /- 7eptember /.-.-*" thereby becoming an 8ct. The University
came into e2istence on /! November /.-., when the 8ct was implemented.
International funding
Capan and 7ingapore are financing the construction work, with contributions totalling around U7G-..
million.-0" >opa 7abharwal has been appointed the first DiceB4hancellor of this university in
Hebruary /.--.
,t has been estimated that U7G!..m will be reIuired to build the new facility, with a further U7G!..m
needed to sufficiently improve the surrounding infrastructure. The group is looking for donations from
governments, private individuals and religious groups.0"
The 7tate >overnment of #ihar handed over ;;@ acres of sprawling land acIuired from local people, to
the University, where construction work has begun. ,t is a dream pro'ect of the former ,ndian president
8&C 8bdul ?alam.-5"
Infrastructure and architecture
Hor best architectural design, a global competition was held for construction of an international stateB
ofBtheBart institution./." /-" Dastu 7hilpa 4onsultants have been selected as the winner of the design
competition with dbH97 providing the triple netB%ero energy, water and waste strategic plan.//"
Organization and administration
Governing Board
,n /..*, the >overnment of ,ndia constituted a Nalanda 9entor >roup :N9>= under the 4hairmanship
of &rofessor 8martya 7en to e2amine the framework of international coBoperation, and proposed
structure of partnership, which would govern the establishment of this University as an international
centre of education. The University of Nalanda is proposed to be established under the aegis of the Jast
8sia 7ummit :J87=, as a regional initiative. The N9> also has representatives from 7ingapore, 4hina,
Capan and Thailand.
Eater the Nalanda 9entor >roup was renamed the >overning #oard of Nalanda University./@"
The >overning #oard of Nalanda University/@" consists ofK
8martya 7en < &rofessor at Harvard University.
7ugata #ose < &rofessor at Harvard University.
Lang #angwei < &rofessor at &eking University.
Lang >ungwu < &rofessor at National University of 7ingapore.
7usumu Nakanishi < &rofessor at ?yoto 4ity University of 8rts.
9eghnad 3esai < Jmeritus &rofessor at Eondon 7chool of Jconomics.
&rapod 8ssavavirulhakarn < &rofessor at 4hulalongkorn University.
>eorge 6eo < Hormer 9inister for Horeign 8ffairs of 7ingapore.
Tansen 7en < 8ssociate &rofessor at #aruch 4ollege, 4UN6.
Nand ?ishore 7ingh < 9ember of &arliament < Fa'ya 7abha, ,ndia.
4handan Hareram ?harwar < &une university < ,ndia.
Schools and deartments
7chool of Historical 7tudies
7chool of Jnvironment and Jcological 7tudies
7chool of #uddhist 7tudies, &hilosophy and 4omparative Feligion
7chool of Eanguages and Eiterature
7chool of ,nternational Felations and &eace 7tudies
7chool of ,nformation 7ciences and Technology
7chool of #usiness 9anagement :&ublic &olicy and 3evelopment 7tudies=/;"
!imeline
1n 5 3ecember /..), the New York Times detailed a plan to spend G- billion to revive Nalanda
University near the ancient site. 8 consortium led by 7ingapore and including 4hina, ,ndia,
Capan and other nations will attempt to raise G!.. million to build a new university and another
G!.. million to develop necessary infrastructure.-;"
1n /0 9ay /..*, Merinews reported that the revived university+s enrolment will be -,-@* in its
first year, and ;,!@. by the fifth. ,n the second phase, enrolment will reach !,0-/./!"
1n -/ Cune /..*, News Post India reported that the Capanese diplomat Noro 9otoyasu said that
MCapan will fund the setting up an international university in Nalanda in #ihar.M The report goes
on to say that MThe proposed university will be fully residential, like the ancient seat of learning
at Nalanda. ,n the first phase of the pro'ect, seven schools with ;) foreign faculty members and
over ;.. ,ndian academics would come up.M ... MThe university will impart courses in science,
philosophy and spiritualism along with other sub'ects. 8 renowned international scholar will be
its chancellor.M/)" /*"
1n -! 8ugust /..*, The Times of India reported that 3r 8.&.C. 8bdul ?alam has accepted the
offer to 'oin the revived Nalanda ,nternational University sometime in 7eptember /..*.M/0"
/5" #ut he later dissociated himself from pro'ect.@." @-"
1n ! 9ay /..0, NDTV reported that, according to Nobel Eaureate 8martya 7en, the foundation
of the university would likely be in the year /..5 and the first teaching class could begin in a
few years from then. 7en, who heads the Nalanda 9entor >roup, said the final report in this
regard, is e2pected to be presented to the Jast 8sia 7ummit in 3ecember /..0.
1n -- 9ay /..0, The Times of India reported that host nation ,ndia and a consortium of Jast
8sian countries met in New 6ork to further discuss Nalanda plans. ,t was decided that Nalanda
would largely be a postBgraduate research university, with the following schoolsK #uddhist
7tudies, &hilosophy, and 4omparative FeligionA Historical 7tudiesA ,nternational Felations and
&eaceA #usiness 9anagement and 3evelopmentA Eanguages and EiteratureA and Jcology and
Jnvironmental 7tudies. The ob'ective of the university was claimed to be Maimed at advancing
the concept of an 8sian community...and rediscovering old relationships.M@/"
1n -) 3ecember /.-., 4hinese &remier Len Ciabao contributed U7G- million for the Nalanda
University during his visit to ,ndia.@@"
,n 9ay /.--, >eorge 6eo confirmed his support of the pro'ect to #ihar 49 Nitish ?umar.@;"
3uring 9ay, Nitish ?umar also met 79 ?rishna to receive reassurement that the 4entral
>overnment would allocate sufficient funds to the pro'ect.@!"
1n * Culy /.--, iNewsOne reported that a global competition will be held to get the best
architectural design for the Nalanda ,nternational University at the ancient seat of learning in
#ihar, officials said. Hor the sake of the best design for Nalanda university, a global competition
will be held soon,+ said N.?. 7ingh, a member of the Nalanda 9entor >roup :N9>= headed by
Nobel laureate 8martya 7en.@)"
1n -) 7eptember /.--, Nee News reported that former president 8&C 8bdul ?alam has
dissociated himself from the upcoming Nalanda ,nternational University in #ihar.@." @*" @0"
1n -! Nov /.-- the Jconomic Times announced that 4hina+s ambassador to ,ndia, Nhang 6an
had handed over a cheIue of U73 - million for the building of a 4hineseBtype library.@5"

Fear view of 7ariputta+s stupa.
1n - 9ay /.-/, Zee News announced that architecture students from the National University of
7ingapore had drawn up a master plan for the revival of the ancient Nalanda University. They
wished to present this draft plan to the Nalanda University directors later this year and
participate in the final competition for Nalanda campus master plan, according to Ng 7i Cia, the
group leader of the architecture students from the National University of 7ingapore.;."
Times of ,ndia reported that the work for the construction of the University would begin by
3ecember /.-@.;-" ,t would be a MNet NeroM campus and will use green technologies like
3JD8&. Dastu 7hilpa 4onsultants of 8hmedabad won the 8rchitecture 3esign 4ontest for the
university and will build the campus.
,n 9ay /.-;, Times of ,ndia reported that Nalanda University will start classes from 7eptember
/.-;. ;/"