New Initiatives Taken at Nav Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda

Ministry of Human Resources Development granted ‘Nav Nalanda Mahavihara (NNM)’ the status of Deemed to be University on November 13, 2006. The idea behind the establishment of this Institute was to develop it into a centre of higher studies on the lines of the old Nalanda Viharas. The major new initiatives taken recently at “Nav Nalanda Mahavihara (NNM)” under the Ministry of Culture, are as follows :

1.      Reprint of 41 Volumes of Pali Tripitake :- Pali Tripitaka was compiled for the first time in Devanagari script in 41 volumes by the NNM under the editorship of Founder Director Ven. Bhikkhu Jagadish Kashyap. It was well received in the academic world. It is out of print from more than 30 years. It is in the great demand even now by the scholars as well as learned societies. Therefore, it was decided to reprint 41 volumes set of Pali Tripitaka and to make it available at the earliest.

2.      To bring the body Relics of Master Xuanzang at Xuanzang Memorial Complex :- Chinese Pilgrim Ven. Xuan Zang has been student as well as the teacher in the Ancient Nalanda University. His body relics was received by the Indian Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru on behalf of Govt. of India on January 12, 1957. It has been kept in the safe custody of Bihar Museum, Patna. Buddhist fraternity of the world are emotionally and sentimentally attached to Ven. Xuan Zang. As per their demand since long initiative has been taken to bring the body relics of Xuan Zang from Patna to Nalanda.

3.      Submission of online admission form in the current academic session :- Buddhist monks and nuns of SEA countries join Nava Nalanda Mahavihara in different courses. Before getting admission, they have to visit at the time of submission of their application also, which happens to be an expensive affair for them as well as Indians students.  Therefore, submission of online admission form facility has been initiated from the current academic session. 

4.      Publication of a Research Journal :- No research Journal was published so far even after getting the Deemed University status of NNM. After taking over the charge recently, the new  Vice-Chancellor took initiative for the publication of a Research Journal from NNM at the earliest.

5.      Compilation of Academic Calendar of NNM :- As a new initiative, Academic Calendar of NNM was compiled for the first time.

6.      Establishment of a Language Lab in NNM :- A new initiative has been taken to establish a well equipped language Lab taking into consideration of long awaited demand of language students particularly of Chinese and English departments. 

7.      Installation of Solar system in all the three Campuses of NNM :-  In order to save the electric energy and also to create an eco-friendly atmosphere within Mahavihara, initiative has been taken to install solar system in all the three campus of NNM. 

“The Excavated Remains at Nalanda” got included in the Tentative List of World Heritage on 9^th January, 2009.  The nomination dossier for ‘Excavated Remains of Nalanda Mahavihara’ was prepared by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) and submitted in January 2015 to the World Heritage Committee for the purpose of its inscription in the year 2016 and on 15 July 2016 it has got inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Department of Culture, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India took over the Nav Nalanda Mahavihara with full financial liabilities from February 25, 1994 and declared it a registered autonomous society by their Resolution on December 7, 1993 under the Society Registration Act XXI, in order to facilitate its all-round development and enable it to contribute more effectively to the institute movement in the country.

In the very beginning, the Mahavihara was affiliated to Patna University, the alone University of the State for academic purposes. The next year, 1952 the Institute came under the academic jurisdiction of the newly founded Bihar University, Patna and continued to remain under it till former of the Magadh University in 1962. But taking degree from a University other than Nalanda was not liked by the student of the Buddhist countries of South-east Asia. They say that they have come to India to obtain a degree of Nalanda and not of other University, because the tradition and importance of the ancient Nalanda Mahavihara are still fresh in their memory. When the Crown Prince of Laos His Highness Sri Vong Savong had come to India in 1966, he had expressed his wish to get the degree of Nalanda. it was at a special request from the Government of India that the Mahavihara held a convocation and conferred the degree of ‘Viudya-Varidhi’ (D.Litt) honoris causa on him. This had a very great impact on the Buddhist countries towards the regeneration of Indo-Asian-Cultural cordiality.

Courtesy – Press Information Bureau, Government of India