External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and Nalanda University Chancellor Dr Arvind Panagariya were present during the inauguration ceremony.
#WATCH | Nalanda, Bihar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveils a plaque at the new campus of Nalanda University as he inaugurates the campus. The PM also planted a sapling here. pic.twitter.com/LUtRN02Jxy
— ANI (@ANI) June 19, 2024
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated the new campus of Nalanda University. Saluting the past struggles of the varsity, the Prime Minister stated that Nalanda represents India’s identity, respect, values, and mantra. This is Mr. Narendra Modi’s first official visit to the state after being sworn in for the record third time as the Prime Minister of India.
Speaking to the gathering, PM Modi said, “I am happy that I was able to visit Nalanda within 10 days of my third term as the Prime Minister… Nalanda is not just a name, it is identity, it is respect, Nalanda is a value, it is a mantra… fire can burn books but cannot and does not extinguish knowledge. ”
Today, we are inaugurating the new campus of Nalanda University. It is a reiteration of our commitment to encourage learning, research and innovation. It is also an effort to draw the best scholars from the world to come and pursue their education in our country. pic.twitter.com/MuwKNs6m0Z
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 19, 2024
Earlier, he went to the historic place of Bihar, namely the ruins of Nalanda University. The ruins were recognized as a United Nations Heritage site in 2016.
Before the inauguration of Nalanda University, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that it will ‘come a long way in fulfilling the educational requirement for the youth’.
Visiting the excavated remains of Nalanda was exemplary. It was an opportunity to be at one of the greatest seats of learning in the ancient world. This site offers a profound glimpse into the scholarly past that once thrived here. Nalanda has created an intellectual spirit that… pic.twitter.com/UAKCZZqXn4
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 19, 2024
Taking to X, PM Modi said, “It’s a very special day for our education sector. At around 10:30 AM today, the new campus of Nalanda University will be inaugurated at Rajgir. There is a special bond between Nalanda and our great part.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and Nalanda University Chancellor Arvind Panagariya graced the occasion.
Other diplomats from 17 countries including Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Mauritius, Myanmar, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam were also invited to the event.
There are two academic blocks on the site, each with forty classrooms and a total seating capacity of about 1900. There are two auditoriums in it, each with 300 seats. It has a dorm for students that can accommodate about 550 people. In addition, it has a number of other facilities, including a faculty club, a sports complex, an international center, and an auditorium with 2000 seats.
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