Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
SPECIAL
REPORT
Vibhanshu Shekhar
IPCS Special Reports aim to flag issues of regional and global concern from a South Asian perspective. All IPCS Reports are peer reviewed.
IPCS SPECIAL REPORT
No 48, November 2007
2
REVIVAL OF NALANDA UNIVERSITY
3
IPCS SPECIAL REPORT
No 48, November 2007
structure of the university.7 The NMG will The NMG has already suggested a
hold three more meetings in Tokyo, tentative administrative structure for the
Beijing and Bihar before submitting its university, though it will become concrete
report to the Indian government in 2008. only after the submission of its report. An
internationally known scholar will be the
The Indian government, with the help of chancellor of the university, overseeing
other partner countries, has decided to the work of four hundred teachers,
develop a US$1 billion corpus fund to be including forty-six scholars from outside
used for the universitys construction and India and 6,000 students from within and
administrative management. Out of this outside India.11 The university will be
sum, half will be spent on infrastructure spread over 200 acres of land, which
development and the other half on has already been acquired by the
maintenance.8 The Indian government is provincial government of Bihar through
planning to set up an Asian Consortium the necessary legislation.12 The total
led by Singapore, to oversee the student enrollment will be 1,100 students
collection.9 N K Singh, Deputy Chairman in the first year and will reach 4,500
of the Planning Board of Bihar, stated, students in five years.13
Singapore can play the role of
facilitator, a catalyst in being able to The NMG, in its Press Statement, outlined
garner support of countries in this five important areas of study. These are:
region.10 Other countries of Southeast
and East Asia have also agreed to Philosophy and Buddhist Studies;
contribute to the revival of Nalanda. Regional History (focusing on
Comparisons and Connections
among Asian Countries fostered
7 Ibid; see also Nalanda Mentor Group to through culture and trade);
Submit Report by Early Next Year, Indo- Business and Management Studies;
Asian News Service, 24 July 2007. International Relations and Peace
Studies; and
8 Jeffrey E. Garten, Really Old School, The
New York Times, 9 December 2006, Study of Languages including
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/09/opin Asian Languages, both classical
ion/09garten.html and modern, as well as linguistics.14
9 Earlier Japan had offered its role in
funding the entire revival plan, which would
have meant no Chinese participation in the
revival programme. In order to project the
revival effort as a pan-Asian initiative India
decided to utilize the good offices of 11 Crumbling Nalanda will Shine Again,
Singapore, which was acceptable to both Hindustan Times, 16 June, 2007.
China and Japan. George Yeo Joins Panel
to Revive Historic Indian Varsity, The Straits 12 Ibid;
Times, 20 June 2007.
13200 Villages around Nalanda Varsity to
10 Goh Sui Noi, Spore Asked to help Revive be Developed, Indo-Asian News Service, 27
Ancient University; India says Republic can March 2007.
be Catalyst in Rebuilding Nalanda, a former
centre of Buddhist Scholarship, The Straits 14 Nalanda Mentor Group Meeting Press
Times, 14 November 2006. Statement, op.cit;
4
REVIVAL OF NALANDA UNIVERSITY
15 Joseph S. Nye, Jr. The Changing Nature The provincial government of Bihar has
of World Power, Political Science Quarterly, focused more on the development of its
vol. 105, no. 2. (Summer 1990), pp. 177- economically backward but historically
192
17 Statement by External Affairs Minister,
16 Joseph S Nye, Jr. The Changing Nature Shri Pranab Mukherjee, at the East Asian
of World Power, Political Science Quarterly, Summit Foreign Ministers Lunch, 31 July
Vol. 105, No. 2. (Summer 1990), pp. 177- 2007, http://meaindia.nic.in/pressrelease
192. /2007/07/31pr01.htm.
5
IPCS SPECIAL REPORT
No 48, November 2007
and culturally important places, such as Minister, George Yeo, the city-state
Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, and Nalanda. organized a 16-country Nalanda
Nalanda has figured prominently in its Buddhist Symposium at the National
explanations for the revival of Nalanda University of Singapore in November
University. Laying emphasis on the 2006. The Singapore government also
development aspect of Nalanda revival organized an exhibition in Singapore on
programme, N K Singh, argues that the 31 October 2007 on the spread of
Nalanda project is part of a larger Buddhism in China and Southeast Asia by
vision to develop the infrastructure of Chinese Buddhist monks.
Bodh Gaya, Gaya, Nalanda and Rajgir
as a region to attract the pilgrim, the The key impetus for Singapores active
tourist, and build Brand Bihar by participation comes from what Yeo calls
harnessing the goodwill generated by the Asian Renaissance, which can be
the project.18 The local development viewed as an extension of the countrys
element was echoed also when Abdul continued emphasis on Asian Values,
Kalam identified the revival of Nalanda and growing euphoria over the 21st
as one of the ten visions for development century becoming the Asian century.
of Bihar in his address to the joint session While interconnecting these three
of provincial legislature in March conceptual formulations, two arguments
2006.19 become prominent. First, Asia need not
look to the West for cultural or material
Singapores Agenda of Asian sources of inspiration and prevailing
Renaissance, Regional Stability and western discourses of Asia as the other
Development needs to be re-visited as the scene of
Singapore has played a central role in activity shifts towards Asia. Second, the
efforts to revive Nalanda by generating Asian way of political and social life is
financial resources and bringing on distinct from the Western way of life and
board countries of Southeast and East therefore an exception should be made
Asia. Emphasizing Singapores catalytic while propagating Western liberal
role, N K Singh argued that Singapore democracy.21 However, the Asian
will facilitate the partnership of countries Century argument cannot be advanced
in the region and hopefully in the as long as the hostility of the past
management of the university.20 In continues that involving the three major
addition, Singapore is playing a key role powers of the Asia-Pacific China,
in mobilizing inputs from scholars and Japan and India.
practitioners from across the world. On
the special initiative of its Foreign Nalanda serves the two-fold objectives
of Singapore. First, Nalanda offers a
18 N K Singh, Building Brand Bihar, the model of cultural development which
Nalanda Way, The Indian Express, 26 predates any Western model. Continuing
November 2006. these arguments further, Yeo, in his
19 Japanese Delegation Meets Nitish to
revive Nalanda University, Hindustan Times, 21 For details on how Singapore has put forth
30 May 2006. its Asian Values agenda see, Alan Chong,
Singaporean Foreign Policy and the Asian
20 Singapore to Play Important Role in Values Debate, 1992-2000: Reflections on
Setting up of Nalanda Uni in India, Channel an Experiment in Soft Power, The Pacific
NewsAsia, 13 November 2006. Review, vol. 17, no. 1, p. 96
6
REVIVAL OF NALANDA UNIVERSITY
presentation at the Nalanda Buddhist tourist circuits in India. The main objective
Symposium, stressed on developing of the visit of Balaji Sadasivan,
Nalanda as an icon of the Asian Singapores Senior State Minister for
renaissance, fostering a centre of External Affairs to Nalanda was to focus
civilization dialogue and inter-faith on developing Buddhist tourist circuits in
understanding, and serving as an Bihar including Nalanda and Rajgir and
inspiration for the future of Asia and the to further explore the potential of
world.22 Second, the Buddhist element of tourism, trade, and education in the
Nalanda connects people culturally province.25
across Asia and offers an issue through
which important powers in the Asia- Japans Agenda of Developing
Pacific can work together and promote Buddhist Circuits and Engaging India
regional peace and stability. Nalanda Japan has expressed its keen interest in
fits into Singapores politico-strategic reviving Nalanda University. The
framework also because of its own fear Japanese government has agreed to
of these players getting into conflictual invest approximately US$100 million for
mould. The fear of regional instability setting up of the proposed Nalanda
emanating from any possible tension or University. As per the Joint Statement on
conflict between India and China further Japan-India Strategic and Global
echoed in his speech when Yeo argued Partnership signed during the visit of the
that sandwiched ASEAN countries have a Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh
strong interest in seeing good relations to Japan in December 2006, the two
between these two giants.23 He countries agreed to develop Nalanda as
expressed his hope that the Nalanda an important centre of learning through
project would further improve inter- regional cooperation.
civilizational understanding and
cooperation and identified Nalanda as The Japanese interest in reviving
an important element in connecting Nalanda should be understood in two
millions of people across Asia.24 contexts the policy of reaching out to
the Buddhist world through development
Another important underlying objective activities and engaging India in the
of Singapore is the development of larger politico-strategic equation
emerging in the Asia-Pacific. First, Japan
has had a long-term involvement in the
22 The Asian Renaissance, Speech by development of Buddhist tourist circuits in
George Yeo, Minister for Foreign Affairs at South and Southeast Asia. There is hardly
the Nalanda Buddhist Symposium, 13 any famous Buddhist place in these two
November 2006, http://app.mfa.gov.sg/ regions which have not received
2006/press/view_press.asp?post_id=1881 Japanese investment. The Japanese
23 George Yeo, Can China Emerge
government has been investing in the
Peacefully, Straits Times, 22 October 2007, maintenance of Buddhist structures and
http://app.mfa.gov.sg/pr/read_content.asp development of infrastructure in various
?View,8584, countries like Thailand, Myanmar,
7
IPCS SPECIAL REPORT
No 48, November 2007
8
REVIVAL OF NALANDA UNIVERSITY
government had earlier offered to bear Xiaowen, the Director of the State
the entire expenses to be incurred in the Administration for Religious Affairs in
revival of Nalanda. Viewed in this China, stressed the important role of
perspective, Japans decision to invest in Buddhism in establishing communication
Nalanda can also be viewed as acting between the two countries in the past,
on its desire to play a leading role in present, and future.33 India and China
any regional initiative and to engage have declared 2007 as the friendship
India in a countering China framework. through tourism year.34 The joint
declaration signed by both the Indian
Chinas Agenda of Positive Image and Chinese governments during the visit
Construction and Engaging India of Hu Jintao, Chinese President, clearly
Chinese participation in the rehabilitation states, The centuries-old cultural contacts
of Nalanda is a projection of its between the two peoples provide a
peaceful rise and growing engagement strong foundation for enduring friendship
with India. During the last few years, between India and China. The initiatives
China has been presenting itself as a to rediscover those historical linkages
responsible player and positive force in and revitalize them in the present day
Asia through soft-power diplomacy. contextwill further strengthen these
Chinese efforts include fostering cultural bonds.35 The rehabilitation of Nalanda
linkages, offering developmental aid, offers such a context for Sino-Indian
pursuing its good neighbour policy, and cooperation at the bilateral and regional
regularly participating in and levels.
contributing to international
deliberations.30 To present a benign Conclusion
image, the Chinese government set up It is obvious that major impetus to the
more than 30 Confucius Institutes in 23 involvement of important players in the
countries, which make available Chinese revival of Nalanda has come from
language instruction and cultural different politico-strategic considerations.
resources to host countries.31 Similarly, Emerging as an important example of
the number of Chinese scholarships to soft-power diplomacy, Nalanda offers a
students from the ASEAN countries has multi-focal template of regional
increased manifold.32 cooperation, cultural assertion and
integration, geopolitical rivalries, and
While Chinas peaceful rise approach normalization of long-standing bilateral
offers conceptual justification for Chinese
support to the Nalanda project, the
Chinese policy of engaging India as 33 Buddhism to Help Cement Sino-Indian
civilizational forces offers the practical Friendship: China, Press Trust of India, 8
thrust. Taking part in the formal February 2007.
inauguration of the Xuan Zang Memorial 34 Remarks by External Affairs Minister, Shri
Hall in Nalanda in February 2007, Ye Pranab Mukherjee at the Inauguration of the
India-China Year of Friendship Through
30Bates Gill and Yanzhong Huang, Sources Tourism 2007, Ministry of External Affairs,
and Limits of Chinas Soft Power, Survival, Government of India, 14 February 2007,
Vol. 48, No. 2, 2006, pp. 17-36. http://meaindia.nic.in/sshome.htm
31 Ibid., p. 18. 35 Buddhism to Help Cement Sino-Indian
Friendship: China, Press Trust of India, 8
32 Ibid., p. 18 February 2007.
9
IPCS SPECIAL REPORT
No 48, November 2007
10