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 history The Nalanda Mahavihar, the world’s first residential university, also referred to as the medieval Ivy League, gained its name from ‘nalam’ (lotus) and ‘da’ (to give), symbolising the blossoming of knowledge. It was established 500 years before Oxford University and was the seat of knowledge of the known world. To put it in context, Nalanda attracted students and teachers from across the world when Europe, the home of Oxford and Cambridge, was still in the shadows of the Dark Ages. While Nalanda is known for Buddhist teachings, the Mahavihar also offered subjects such as logic, grammar, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, philosophy and Ayurveda. Its most enduring legacy though lies in its monumental contribution to mathematics and astronomy. Aryabhata, the father of Indian mathematics, is speculated to have headed the university in 6th Century CE. At its zenith, the interdisciplinary approach attracted an impressive roster of 2,000 teachers and 10,000 students from far-flung regions across Asia like China, Korea, Japan, Tibet, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. The Nalanda campus itself, made of red bricks, votive stupas, temples, monasteries (viharas) and extensive libraries, was an architectural marvel of its time. The university’s libraries collectively known as ‘Dharma Gunj’ (Mountain of Truth) comprised three main buildings: Ratnasagara (Ocean of Jewels), Ratnodadhi (Sea of Jewels) and Ratnaranjaka (Jewel-Adorned). Of the three buildings, one reportedly soared nine storeys tall. The library, a treasure trove of scriptures and 9 million handwritten palm-leaf manuscripts, was perhaps the world’s richest repository of Buddhist wisdom. But Nalanda’s fate was sealed by invasions that reduced centuries of accumulated knowledge to ashes. The few manuscripts that survived are now safeguarded in institutions like the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Yarlung Museum in Tibet. Green campus The revival of Nalanda University gained momentum in 2006 when Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, then President of India, proposed its reestablishment during a session of the Bihar State Legislative Assembly. Nestled less than 20 km from the historic Nalanda Mahavihara, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the modern university was re-established in 2010 through a legislative act by the Indian Parliament. The architectural design was chosen on the basis of a global competition and a jury of architects which chose Pritzker Prize laureate and Padma Vibhushan late BV Doshi’s firm, Vastu Shilpa Consultants, as the winner of the competition. “An architectural design competition was launched in 2012 for the Master Plan and out of 79 entries, our design which was led by our partner and principal architect for the project Rajeev Kathpalia won,” said Raghuveer Kathpalia, Designated Partner, Vastushilpa Sangath LLP, adding design details, “Nalanda is one of the largest net-zero campuses. The master plan integrates the campus into the site’s larger ecosystem, aiming for a carbon-neutral and zero-waste campus. Key principles include ecological integration, diverse land use, permeability, visual cohesiveness and compatibility with the surrounding land. The design includes manmade lakes, excavated at naturally low-lying areas that serve as reservoirs to protect the site from flooding and enhance connectivity with surrounding villages. Soil excavated to form the lakes is used to create compressed stabilised earth blocks and the main building material for the campus structures. This innovative approach reduces reliance on off-site materials and embodies the project’s sustainable ethos.” 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, which is nearing completion. It features two academic blocks with 40 classrooms accommodating nearly 1,900 students, two administrative blocks, two auditoriums with a combined seating capacity of over 300, and hostels housing up to 550 students. The campus is well-equipped with a guesthouse, an international centre, a dining hall that seats 1,000, an amphitheatre for 2,000 and essential facilities such as a sports complex, medical centre and faculty club. 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. - R SRINIVASAN