Abhay Kumar's interest in Nalanda started when he was young. He used to visit the old university ruins with his parents but it wasn't until a trip there two years ago that he felt its importance in history. This made him write "Nalanda: How It Changed the World." His book examines how Nalanda shaped learning, thinking, and culture worldwide.
Abhay K. who is a writer, poet, editor, and translator talked about this personal link at the India Habitat Centre. He joined a discussion about his book in collaboration with the India Foundation which featured scholars including Côme Carpentier de Gourdon (distinguished fellow, India Foundation), Sunaina Singh (former Vice Chancellor, Nalanda University), Rajiv Mehrotra (Trustee-Secretary, The Foundation For Universal Responsibility of H.H. The Dalai Lama).
In the book, Abhay traces the journey of Nalanda University from its establishment to its destruction in the 12th century. He examines how it flourished as the world’s first residential university, attracting scholars from several countries.
The book digs deeper into Nalanda’s unique teaching culture, which combines Buddhist philosophy with subjects like astronomy, medicine, and mathematics. It was the result of such a multidisciplinary learning environment that scholars like Dinnaga, Nagarjuna, and Atisha became so great. Through historical research and literary narratives, Abhay K. presents Nalanda as a symbol of India’s intellectual heritage and argues for its relevance in today’s knowledge-driven world.
Côme Carpentier de Gourdon during the discussion talked about the role of Nalanda’s contributions to global education, discussing how its academic model has influenced institutions not just in India but beyond.
Sunaina Singh, who served as the Vice Chancellor of the university appreciates the book for giving the world a concise history of the University and acknowledged the fluent language used that makes the book even better.
Rajiv Mehrotra emphasised Nalanda’s deep-rooted connection with Buddhism and Buddha himself, highlighting how the teaching of Nalanda was a connection between Scientific temperament and spirituality.
The discussion at the India Habitat Center highlighted Nalanda's influence on intellectual traditions, its debate curriculum, and education across the world and how important it is to preserve this university and build it again to continue the same.
