Nalanda Mahavihara: World's First Residential University Reborn

• Nalanda Mahavihara, established in the 5th century CE during the Gupta Empire, is widely recognized as the world's first residential university.
• It featured a unique residential model where thousands of students and teachers lived, studied, and debated together, predating modern university systems.
• The university offered a comprehensive curriculum including Buddhist studies, logic, philosophy, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, and grammar, attracting scholars from across Asia.
• At its peak, Nalanda housed around 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers, boasting a vast library, Dharmaganja, with millions of manuscripts.
• Destroyed in the 12th century, Nalanda was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016, and a new Nalanda University campus was inaugurated in Rajgir, Bihar, in 2024 to revive its legacy.

Why It Matters: Nalanda Mahavihara, the world's first residential university, is being revived to honor its ancient legacy.