Patna, May 19 (IANS) The world-renowned Nalanda University, in its third convocation ceremony, at its sprawling campus in Bihar’s Rajgir on Tuesday, conferred degrees to 219 students from 14 countries in the presence of eminent and esteemed guests, including Governor Syed Ata Hasnain and Prime Minister’s principal secretary PK Mishra and senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The degrees were conferred to 219 students, including gold medals to eight students, at the Visvamitralay Auditorium. Women students stole the show, with seven of the eight gold medalists being female scholars, reflecting their strong performance across multiple disciplines.

Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary, P.K. Mishra, took pride in the historical legacy of the Nalanda institute and called it one of the highest centres of learning.

“I was very impressed to see Nalanda. Nalanda has a long history and heritage. It was one of the great centers of learning. Now, again, we are going to build a similar center of learning from all over the world,” PK Mishra told the newsmen.

The convocation ceremony of 2024-26, the third such event since inception, marked an educational milestone for the premier institute, even as it awarded degrees to students from nations such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

The ceremony highlighted the recently concluded “Shastrarth 2026,” with winners being felicitated, and witnessed the inauguration of the Kautilya Centre for Capacity Building, held just nine days after the examinations.

The event brought the spotlight back on Nalanda’s legacy as a global hub of knowledge, dialogue, and interdisciplinary learning.

A couple of students from diverse nations also shared their experiences and learnings from the University

“It’s a very beautiful campus. I request everyone pursuing a Master’s course to get admitted here and get trained under the academic brilliance of the faculty, besides enjoying the essence of Nalanda,” said Kapila Swapna, who studied Ecology and Environmental Studies.

Other students spoke about the vast educational legacy of Nalanda University, while others echoed similar sentiments on how the highest standards of education here put them a step ahead of contemporaries.

–IANS

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