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Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
Real Estate

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

The new Nalanda University campus at Rajgir in Bihar, remodelled after the 1,600-year-old Nalanda Mahavihar, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2024, marking a significant revival of the first residential university in the world, originally founded in 427 CE by Emperor Kumara...

The new Nalanda University campus at Rajgir in Bihar, remodelled after the 1,600-year-old Nalanda Mahavihar, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2024, marking a significant revival of the first residential university in the world, originally founded in 427 CE by Emperor Kumaragupta.Steeped in historyThe world’s first residential university gained its name from ‘nalam’ (lotus) and ‘da’ (to give), symbolising the blossoming of knowledge.Green campusRevival of the university gained momentum in 2006 after Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, then President of India, proposed its reestablishment. The architectural design was chosen on the basis of a global competition and the jury, consisting of architects including Liu Thai Ker, chose Pritzker Prize laureate and Padma Vibhushan late BV Doshi’s firm, Vastu Shilpa Consultants, as the winner of the design competition.The new campus, built at an initial cost of Rs 18 billion and spread over 485 acre, merges eco-friendly architecture with ancient Vaastu principles. The campus is among the largest in India and its commitment to sustainability is evident in its net-zero green campus, which includes a 6.5-MW DC on-grid solar plant, a 500-kld water treatment plant, a 400-kld water recycling plant and 100 acre of water bodies with an innovative 1.2-MW AC biogas-based waste-to-energy plant. Indeed, the new campus of Nalanda University symbolises the revival of an ancient institution and serves as a beacon of modern educational excellence and sustainability.A Forest of MemoriesSmritivan Earthquake Memorial is on UNESCO's 2024 list of the most beautiful museums.The Smritivan (Forest of Memories) Earthquake Memorial Museum in Bhuj, Gujarat, has been honoured as one of the world’s seven most beautiful museums globally by UNESCO’s Prix Versailles Award for Architecture and Design. It is the first museum in India to receive international recognition for adherence to local culture, environmental conservation and sustainable practices.Situated on the Bhujiyo Dungar (a small hill) on the outskirts of Bhuj and spread over 470 acres, it is the first earthquake memorial in the country. The site features the world’s largest Miyawaki forest, with around 0.5 million trees, 50 check dams adorned with plaques bearing the names of the victims of the 2001 earthquake, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, which claimed close to 13,000 lives and affected 890 villages. The museum also includes a special theatre that offers a realistic simulation of the earthquake experience using sound, light and vibration along with a 360º projection. The architect was Rajeev Kathpalia from Vastushilpa Sangath LLP while the exhibition design and curation for the museum was done by Design Factory India.Design intentThe hill’s steep slope posed a challenge in constructing a building that blended with the landscape as the hill holds cultural significance to the community and constructing a large-scale box contrasting with the hill was considered inappropriate. So, the natural contours of the hill were incorporated into the design.Resilience and regenerationAs Smritivan was planned to be a pilgrimage site for bereaved families of the victims, each element of the museum, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2022, stands as a symbol of Gujarat’s resilience in the face of adversity and focuses on regeneration and hope for a better future.- R SRINIVASAN      

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Real Estate

Shriram Properties Launches ‘Codename: The One’ in Bengaluru

Shriram Properties (SPL), a leading real estate developer focused on the mid-market and mid-premium segments, has announced the launch of its latest residential project under the banner “Codename: The One” in Bengaluru’s Electronic City corridor. This feature-rich gated community will offer 340 spacious 2- and 3-BHK residences, with a total saleable area of approximately 5 lakh square feet and an estimated revenue potential of over Rs 3.5 billion. The project is expected to be developed over a span of more than three years.  Strategically located near the Bommasandra Metro stat..

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Resources

India Warehousing Show 2025 Closes with Strong Global Presence

The 14th edition of the India Warehousing Show (IWS) 2025 concluded successfully at Yashobhoomi (IICC), Dwarka, drawing participation from over 300 exhibitors across 15 countries and welcoming 15,000+ visitors. Recognised as India’s leading platform for warehousing and logistics excellence, IWS 2025 offered a comprehensive display of cutting-edge automation, sustainable warehousing solutions, and next-gen supply chain technologies. The show was inaugurated by Shri Pankaj Kumar, Joint Secretary – Logistics, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. In his opening a..

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Equipment

MHIET Launches 450kW Gas Cogeneration System with H₂ Co-Firing

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger (MHIET), part of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Group, has launched a new 450kW gas cogeneration system, the SGP M450, jointly developed with Toho Gas Co.,. The system supports hydrogen co-firing at up to 15 vol per cent, with no loss in performance or reliability.  The system is currently available in the Japanese market, and has been developed from the existing GS6R2 city gas engine platform. Key modifications were made to the fuel gas and engine control systems to enable hydrogen co-firing.   Verified through de..

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