Ministry of
Human Resources Development granted ‘Nav Nalanda Mahavihara (NNM)’ the status
of Deemed to be University on November 13, 2006. The idea behind the
establishment of this Institute was to develop it into a centre of higher
studies on the lines of the old Nalanda Viharas. The major new initiatives
taken recently at “Nav Nalanda Mahavihara (NNM)” under the Ministry of
Culture, are as follows :
1. Reprint of 41
Volumes of Pali Tripitake :- Pali Tripitaka was compiled for the first
time in Devanagari script in 41 volumes by the NNM under the editorship of
Founder Director Ven. Bhikkhu Jagadish Kashyap. It was well received in the
academic world. It is out of print from more than 30 years. It is in the great
demand even now by the scholars as well as learned societies. Therefore, it was
decided to reprint 41 volumes set of Pali Tripitaka and to make it available at
the earliest.
2. To bring the
body Relics of Master Xuanzang at Xuanzang Memorial Complex :- Chinese
Pilgrim Ven. Xuan Zang has been student as well as the teacher in the Ancient
Nalanda University. His body relics was received by the Indian Prime Minister
Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru on behalf of Govt. of India on January 12, 1957. It
has been kept in the safe custody of Bihar Museum, Patna. Buddhist fraternity
of the world are emotionally and sentimentally attached to Ven. Xuan Zang. As
per their demand since long initiative has been taken to bring the body relics
of Xuan Zang from Patna to Nalanda.
3. Submission of
online admission form in the current academic session :- Buddhist
monks and nuns of SEA countries join Nava Nalanda Mahavihara in different
courses. Before getting admission, they have to visit at the time of submission
of their application also, which happens to be an expensive affair for them as
well as Indians students. Therefore, submission of online admission form
facility has been initiated from the current academic session.
4. Publication
of a Research Journal :- No research Journal was
published so far even after getting the Deemed University status of NNM. After
taking over the charge recently, the new Vice-Chancellor took initiative for
the publication of a Research Journal from NNM at the earliest.
5. Compilation
of Academic Calendar of NNM :- As a new initiative,
Academic Calendar of NNM was compiled for the first time.
6. Establishment
of a Language Lab in NNM :- A new initiative has been taken to establish
a well equipped language Lab taking into consideration of long awaited demand
of language students particularly of Chinese and English departments.
7. Installation
of Solar system in all the three Campuses of NNM :- In order to save
the electric energy and also to create an eco-friendly atmosphere within
Mahavihara, initiative has been taken to install solar system in all the three
campus of NNM.
“The Excavated Remains at Nalanda” got included in the Tentative List of
World Heritage on 9th January, 2009. The nomination dossier
for ‘Excavated Remains of Nalanda Mahavihara’ was prepared by the Archeological
Survey of India (ASI) and submitted in January 2015 to the World Heritage
Committee for the purpose of its inscription in the year 2016 and on 15 July
2016 it has got inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Department of
Culture, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India took over
the Nav Nalanda Mahavihara with full financial liabilities from February 25,
1994 and declared it a registered autonomous society by their Resolution on
December 7, 1993 under the Society Registration Act XXI, in order to facilitate
its all-round development and enable it to contribute more effectively to the
institute movement in the country.
In the very
beginning, the Mahavihara was affiliated to Patna University, the alone
University of the State for academic purposes. The next year, 1952 the
Institute came under the academic jurisdiction of the newly founded Bihar
University, Patna and continued to remain under it till former of the Magadh
University in 1962. But taking degree from a University other than Nalanda was
not liked by the student of the Buddhist countries of South-east Asia. They say
that they have come to India to obtain a degree of Nalanda and not of other
University, because the tradition and importance of the ancient Nalanda
Mahavihara are still fresh in their memory. When the Crown Prince of Laos His
Highness Sri Vong Savong had come to India in 1966, he had expressed his wish
to get the degree of Nalanda. it was at a special request from the Government
of India that the Mahavihara held a convocation and conferred the degree of ‘Viudya-Varidhi’
(D.Litt) honoris causa on him. This had a very great impact on the Buddhist
countries towards the regeneration of Indo-Asian-Cultural cordiality.
*****
Sanjay
Kumar/Culture/17.06.2016