PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the new campus of Nalanda University

PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the new campus of Nalanda University

Patna June 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new campus of Nalanda University on Wednesday.

A new campus has been constructed for Nalanda University located near the ruins of the ancient university in Rajgir.

While addressing the students, teaching and non-teaching staff and dignitaries who came here from across the world, PM Modi said: “I got the opportunity to come to Nalanda in the first 10 days after taking oath for the third term. This is not only my good fortune but I also see it as an auspicious sign of India’s development journey.”

“Nalanda is an identity, an honour, a value, a mantra, a pride and a saga. Nalanda is the proclamation of the truth that books may burn in the flames of fire but it cannot erase knowledge,” PM Modi said.

“We all know that Nalanda was once a living center of India’s tradition and identity. This is India’s thinking about education. Education is what shapes us, gives us ideas and gives it shape. Children were not admitted to ancient Nalanda on the basis of their identity or their nationality. There are youths from every class of every country here. In this new campus of Nalanda University, we have to strengthen the same ancient system again in a modern form and I am happy to see that many students have started coming here from many countries of the world today,” he said.

During the occasion, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said: “Today I am very happy to see that Nalanda University has become fully functional. It was being built earlier and today it has become so good and beautiful. Currently, 400 students from 17 countries are studying here.”

“All the buildings and campus for the university have expanded a lot and have also become very beautiful. I am thankful to PM Narendra Modi who came here and inaugurated the new campus,” Kumar said.

“Today the entire campus of Nalanda University was being inaugurated by the respected Prime Minister. We express our heartfelt gratitude to him that he has come here. It is a matter of great happiness that the entire campus was inaugurated by him. Rajgir is the most ancient place, so you will also feel very good coming here. Rajgir is the oldest place in the world,” Kumar said.

Nitish Kumar said that Rajgir was the first capital of the Magadh Empire. Earlier it was known as Rajgriha. It was shifted to Patna Pataliputra. Rajgir is the confluence of five religions.

“We have made everything good here. People can go and see,” he said.

The foundation stone of Nalanda University was laid in 2016. After a special initiative of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, 455 acres of land were acquired in Rajgir and handed over to the university administration,” Singh said.

Nalanda University has 24 large buildings constructed at the cost of Rs 1749 crore.

EOM.