Patna,(BiharTimes): The first Chancellor of Nalanda University, Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, on Tuesday paid his first visit to the International Convention Centre, Rajgir, where classes for the first batch of this revived temple of learning have been going on since September 1.

He was neither present during the official inauguration of the University by the External Affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj, on September 19 nor on the first day

According to reports he turned up one and a half months later because of his prior engagements at Harvard University. He reportedly made up his mind to meet the students of Nalanda University on October 14 after his plan of visiting University of Geneva was finalised.

Sen spent one and a half hours with students and individually met all 13 of them. He inspired them to excel in their respective fields.

At present classes are going on only in two schools: School of Ecology and Environment Studies and School of Historical Studies.

Sen also talked to all the 10 faculty member of the university in presence of the Vice Chancellor, Gopa Sabharwal, Dean (Academics) Anjana Sharma, Administrative, Head Sridhar V K and other officials.

Art culture and youth affairs secretary Chanchal Kumar and Nalanda district magistrate Kartikey D. Budhdhabhatti also attended the session, after which Sen had dinner with the varsity students, teachers and officials at Indo Hokke.

Sen remained in Rajgir till Wednesday afternoon. 

He is to deliver a public lecture on the revival of Nalanda University at Teen Murti Bhavan in New Delhi on October 16.

Earlier, chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi met Sen at a Patna hotel, after he landed in the state capital on Monday.

He and Sabharwal had a meeting with former chief minister Nitish Kumar too.