00:00Jawaharlal Nehru University School of International Studies hosted a special
00:09discussion on writer-diplomat Abhay K.'s book, Nalanda, How It Changed the World.
00:15The event highlighted Nalanda Mahavira's global impact as a historic center of learning,
00:22cultural exchange and intellectual legacy.
00:25First of all, a declaration that I come, or a confession, I come from Nalanda.
00:32And as a writer, I wanted to tell the true history, story of Nalanda.
00:38Because this is a subject which is very close to my heart and I could not find a single book
00:45which tells the whole story of Nalanda in an articulate and in a powerful narrative.
00:55Abhay K. highlighted Nalanda's contributions to disciplines like mathematics, astronomy,
01:02medicine, philosophy and poetry.
01:05He emphasized how its model of interdisciplinary learning, global faculty and merit-based scholarships
01:12can inspire modern institutions.
01:15He also noted the revival of Nalanda University with a new campus inaugurated by Prime Minister
01:22Narendra Modi in Rajgir in 2024.
01:25I thought that this is my duty as a writer to write a book on Nalanda.
01:32And also it happens to be when Nalanda is being revived, a new university has been set up,
01:39inaugurated last year by our Honourable Prime Minister, Modiji.
01:43So it's a time I thought it has contemporary relevance, a subject which is mysterious.
01:53You know, lots of people want to know what happened at Nalanda, who taught there,
01:57was it a university, you know, how did it decline.
02:01Well, so it began with a poem, as I am a poet, you know, so it began with two poems on Nalanda.
02:07One on the fall of Nalanda and another on the rise of it.
02:15Abhike's book also traces the spread of Buddhist philosophy from Nalanda to regions like China
02:22and Mongolia, offering insights into its origins and strategic location.
02:28The event highlighted Nalanda's role as a global learning hub in ancient South Asia.
02:36The philosophy of Buddhism has spread, and this book talks about the origin and how the
02:44locational analysis of Nalanda and the surrounding at that time the Magad, a very renowned kingdom
02:53of that period, which attracted lot of philosophers, the academicians, the scientists, the mathematicians
03:01to Nalanda University.
03:03The discussion at JNU underscored Nalanda's enduring influence on global thought and education.
03:14And as you then, keep following us, I will be honest with you.
03:15How do you explain it?
03:17I will Ashwin.
03:18I will stay with you.
03:19How do you explain it?
03:20I will be honest.
03:21I will be honest with you.
03:22I will be honest with you.
03:23And with me personally, gives us a good answer, and I'll ask you in today's give
03:27a stand.
03:28If you're the first one, I have a problem.
03:30If you haven't done this one, please give us an advice.
03:31And with me, we can give a great amount of time and watch.
03:33And with me, first we'll be honest with you.
03:35If you'll see it, we still don't stand-up!
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