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(BiharTimes)There is a joke doing round that while the entire Nalanda University Governing Board had to go to China with much fanfare to get $1 million (or Rs. 5 cores) sanctioned for the project, a Bihari youth Sushil Kumar fetched an equal amount from Mumbai by answering some questions at Kaun Banega Crorepati-5. Whether Sushil Kumar read Penguin Quiz Book co-authored by Dr. Gopa Sabharwal, now Vice-Chancellor Designate, Nalanda University is a matter of conjecture. |
But while Sushil Kumar can immediately use the prize money, the much vaunted Nalanda University will have to wait until the University physically comes up at Nalanda.
This is because, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry press release, the donation is meant for a Chinese style library at the University. The library can only come up when the University campus materializes. Until then, the University will have to depend on Government of India’s money, its pretensions of ‘internationalism’ not withstanding.
It means now a precondition has put before the global design competition. The designer, who might be from any part of the world, will have to leave space for Chinese style library. Only the Chinese architects will be able to build it. Will this not infringe upon the ‘international’ character of Nalanda University? The Nalanda University refuses to acknowledge its Indian character despite Government of India spending far more money on the project. Amartya Sen finds Bihar a ‘parochial’ state despite donating a land of 446 acres to Nalanda University without any precondition.
Its library was the pride of ancient Nalanda University. According to Tibetan accounts the library at Nalanda Mahavihara consisted of three grand buildings Ratnasagara, Ratnodadhi and Ratnaranjaka. In Ratnodadhi, which was nine-storeyed, there were sacred texts Prajnaparamita-sutra and Tantrik works such as Samaja-guhya etc. Everything was wholly Indian; there was nothing Chinese about it. Had it been so it should surely have been noted by Xuan Xiang and I-Tsing.
The precondition of Chinese style library is a confirmation that Nalanda University might be a beachhead for Chinese diplomacy in India. And they may get it on the cheap.
Chinese foreign ministry release:
http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zwjg/zwbd/t878305.htm
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