Thursday 26 August 2010

Asian Renaissance begins with Nalanda & South Asian Unversity

August 26, 2010 (Thursday) has become a very special day in the history of India and Asia as the Indian Parliament passed the Nalanda University Bill
( http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article596265.ece ) today evening at 2000hrs and the South Asian University (http://www.southasianuniersity.org/) started formally functioning from today. About eight hundred years ago (in1193 A.D.) one of the world's most ancient universities, the learning centre for the whole Asia, was destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khilji. With the destruction of Nalanda, decline of Asia started. India and China, the world's largest economies of that era slowly and gradually waned from the global stage while the rise and rise of the Europe started. While Nalanda was being destroyed, the Cambridge was being built. Magadh, which was the most powerful of the Mahajanpadas of India, slowly truned into present day Bihar over the centuries. Now wheel has taken the full tun and right there in Nalanda, a beautiful lotus is blooming again.

India has not taken up this project alone. The beauty of the new Nalanda University is that it has provided a platform to many Asian countries to come together. East Asian Countries have come together to build a great University in the vicinity of the ruins of the old Nalanda University, which is in itself a great diplomatic feat for Asia. Asia has a symbol with each majority of Asian countries can identify themselves. Nalanda is a common Asian heritage and new Nalanda University is the harbinger of Asian renaissance.

Another landmark achievement of the day is the functioning of the South Asian University, an innovative model university with the main campus in New Delhi and campuses in SAARC countries. Only 50 % of students will be from India, the rest from the other South Asian Countries. The seeds of a South Asian Identity are being sown, benefits of which will be reaped a few years later. JNU, so far acted as an International University where students from many South Asian and other Countries studied together. With a South Asian University, SAARC Visa exemption scheme, South Asia seems going on the right path.

Disclaimer-Views expressed are author's own.

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