Nalanda University

CURRENT CONTEXT : Recently, the Prime Minister of India inaugurated the new campus of Nalanda University in Rajgir, Bihar.

• The new campus is spread across 450 acres.
• It is designed as a ‘Net Zero’ Green Campus by focusing on environmental conservation.

HISTORICAL PROSPECTIVE

• Established in the 5th century by Gupta Emperor Kumaragupta I.
• It was flourished for 600 years until the 12th century.
• It was a center of learning, culture, and intellectual exchange that had a profound impact on the development of Indian civilization and beyond.
• It consist the largest library, “Dharma Gunj” or “Mountain of Truth,” with a collection of nine million books.
• It was the world’s first residential university, accommodating over 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers.
• The university is located near the Nalanda ruins, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016.