Patna: The revived Nalanda University, a former international center for learning in Bihar, which has attracted over 1,000 applications worldwide, began its first academic session from September 1 to 15 people, including five women and 10 members of the faculty, the vice chancellor said.
"We are ready to start the academic session of the University of Nalanda Monday," Vice Chancellor Gopa Sabhrawal told IANS.
Sabhrawal said an orientation program for students three days to the School of Historical Sciences and the School of Environment and Ecology of the first session of 2014-15 began Friday at the makeshift campus in the city of Rajgir Buddhist pilgrimage, about 100 km from Patna. The university will come up in Rajgir, 12 km from where the ancient Nalanda Univeristy stop until the 12th century, when it was razed by invading Turkish army.
The formal opening is expected in mid-September, Sabhrawal said. The fully residential university, to be completed in 2020, will eventually have seven schools, especially for post-graduate and doctoral students, offering courses in science, philosophy and spirituality and the social sciences.
"More than 1,000 students from 40 countries have applied for admission at the University of Nalanda. But only 15 students have been selected, including one each from Japan and Bhutan and other India," Sabharwal said.
More students will enroll in September as the selection process is still ongoing, he added.
It was initially decided to enroll 40 students - 20 in each of the two schools - but after scrutiny and interview only the best students have been selected, Sabharwal said.
Applications have been received from the USA, Russia, England, Spain, Germany, Japan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Austria, among others, as well as the countries of West Asia and Southeast Asia.
These 15 students selected will be staying in the Hotel Tathagat owned by the Development Corporation Bihar State Tourism (BSTDC) in Rajgir.
Classes will be held at the nearby convention hall of the state government.
Rajgir attracts thousands of tourists from around the world each year. It is the second most visited tourist attraction in the Buddhist circuit in Bihar after Bodh Gaya, considered the birthplace of Buddhism, where Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment more than 2,500 years ago. Rajgir (then Rajagriha) was the first capital of the kingdom of Magadha and one of the favorite places of Buddha.
College is an initiative of the Government of India and the 18 East Asia Summit (EAS) countries.
During his trip to Brunei in October 2013, then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had signed agreements with seven countries EAS - Australia, Cambodia, Singapore, Brunei, New Zealand, Laos and Myanmar - have pledged their commitment to the project.
China has committed $ 1 million to the project and has signed a memorandum of understanding on this during Manmohan Singh's visit to Beijing in November 2013 Singapore has pledged $ 5-6 million and Australia about $ 1 million Australian dollars.
In May 2013, the Nalanda board had approved the architectural plan of the university, proposing a huge lake in the center of campus. A library, a structure in the form of massive dome, come out in the middle of the lake and be a submerged environment.
The cental government has sanctioned crores ($ 445 million) Cost Rs.2,700 for college, to be spent over 10 years.
Founded in the V century, during the Gupta dynasty, the ancient University of Nalanda was once attended by thousands of scholars and thinkers from around the world. It was destroyed by the Turkish invader Bakhtiyar Khilji army, a general Qutbuddin Aibak of and believed that the fire in the huge library that has lasted for several days.
