Topic: Nalanda University

Abhay Kumar's book Nalanda: How it Changed the World was launched at Delhi's IHC in the presence of historians, professors, ambassadors, and students.

Nalanda started losing importance by the 11th century, with rulers determining that Brahmin settlements were far more useful than Buddhist monasteries. Brahmins were willing to work as a state cadre, whereas Buddhist monks would not.

Nalanda's new campus was inaugurated by PM Modi Wednesday. Set up in 5th century, it's said to have housed 10,000 students at the time. It was burnt down in 12th century & rebuilt in 2016.

Event to be inaugurated by ex president Ram Nath Kovind will include panel discussion headed by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. Aim is to 'highlight aspects of India's democratic tradition'.

A Padma Bhushan awardee, Panagariya is the fourth chancellor of the university after Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, former Singapore foreign minister George Yeo and computer scientist Vijay P Bhatkar.

With a 200-strong international student community, 'unique courses', and a campus cradled by Rajgir hills, Nalanda hopes to achieve the stature of its centuries-old predecessor.