Biharsharif: Nalanda University on Sunday organised “Shastrarth 2026”, a two-day programme that will continue on Monday, ahead of its third convocation scheduled for May 19. This event revives the ancient tradition of scholarly debate linked to the historic Nalanda Mahavihara.
First-Time Inclusion in Academic Calendar
For the first time, the university has formally included Shastrarth in its academic calendar. The initiative aims to promote intellectual dialogue, logical reasoning, and research-based discussions rooted in the ‘guru-shishya’ tradition.
Event Highlights
The event features public dissertation defences and thematic debates across various subjects, including Buddhist studies, archaeology, ecology, international relations, and philosophy.
Vice-Chancellor's Remarks
Vice-chancellor Sachin Chaturvedi emphasised that education cannot rely solely on artificial intelligence and must develop through intellectual struggle and self-reflection.
New Awards for Intellectual Excellence
The university is also instituting the “Nalanda Shastrarth Samman” for teachers and the “Nalanda Shastrarth Award” for students, promoting excellence in intellectual discourse.
Previous Convocation Highlights
Nalanda University’s second convocation was attended by President Droupadi Murmu, while the first convocation was attended by former President Pranab Mukherjee. Its newly built net-zero campus at Rajgir was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2024.
