Nalanda Diary

Quarterly Newsletter of Nalanda University, Bihar, India | January 2026 Edition | Issue III

PM Modi Announces Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Nālandā University

26 October 2025 | The 22^nd ASEAN–India Summit was held on 26 October 2025, with Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi participating virtually alongside ASEAN leaders. This marked the Prime Minister’s 12th participation in the ASEAN–India Summit.

In a landmark announcement highlighting Nalanda University’s global academic standing, the Hon’ble Prime Minister announced the establishment of a Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Nalanda University. The announcement, made during the Summit, is a significant step under India’s Act East Policy, reaffirming Nalanda’s historic role as a bridge of knowledge across Asia.

Proposed to be located at the Rajgir campus, the Centre will focus on regional studies, policy dialogue, cultural exchange, and collaborative research with ASEAN nations. Aligned with the East Asia Summit framework, it will strengthen academic cooperation, regional expertise, and India’s cultural and intellectual engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.

Shri S. Gurumurthy on

“Atmanirbhar Bharat and MAGA in a Multi-Polar World”

Raj Bhavan, Patna; October 13, 2025 | Guided by the Hon’ble Governor of Bihar, Nalanda University launched the Raj Bhavan–Nalanda University Lecture Series to foster intellectual dialogue across Bihar’s universities. Notably, a day prior to the launch, eminent thinker Shri S. Gurumurthy delivered a lecture and held an interactive session at Nalanda University. In the inaugural session of the Lecture Series, he further addressed the strategic implications of the emerging multipolar world order, inspiring collective reflection grounded in ethical and self-reliant thought. (More details inside..)

From Vice Chancellor’s Desk

Warm greetings to our readers and the extended Nalanda fraternity. This edition of Nalanda Diary captures a quarter of meaningful academic engagement marked by conferences, publications, international collaborations, student initiatives, and strengthened global partnerships, reaffirming Nalanda University’s commitment to transdisciplinary inquiry rooted in Asian intellectual traditions. A notable highlight has been the deepening of Sahabhāgita, our community engagement initiative, reflecting Nalanda’s ethos of mutual learning and social responsibility. I express my sincere gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for his visionary leadership in Nalanda’s revival and global standing, and to Hon’ble External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and the Ministry of External Affairs for their constant support. I hope this issue conveys the University’s quiet yet purposeful momentum as we honour the past, engage the present, and prepare thoughtfully for the future.