Rajgir: Nalanda University celebrated the 77th Republic Day with solemn dignity and patriotic fervour, as its vice-chancellor, Sachin Chaturvedi, hoisted the national flag and addressed students, faculty and members of the university community.
In his address, Chaturvedi reflected on the symbolism of the Ashok Chakra, describing it as a marker of motion and progress. Universities, he said, must remain spaces of vision, movement and purposeful change. Nalanda, he added, was moving forward with clarity and a renewed sense of responsibility towards society and the wider world.
Drawing on the prime minister’s recent remarks on India’s role in an increasingly interconnected world, the vice-chancellor said the university was inspired by the idea of India as a beacon of cooperation and collective good. Nalanda, he noted, sought to translate this vision into meaningful academic and cultural engagement across borders.
The address also recalled key historical milestones being commemorated this year, including the 150th year of Vande Mataram and the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. These moments, Chaturvedi said, reaffirmed enduring values of unity, cultural strength and collective wisdom that continue to shape India’s nation-building journey.
Emphasising Nalanda’s civilisational legacy, he pointed to Bihar’s historical role as a cradle of democracy, from the ancient Lichchhavi republic to Vaishali. He underlined Nalanda’s contemporary responsibility in shaping ideas of global governance, equitable knowledge partnerships and South–South cooperation in what he described as the Asian Century.
Addressing present-day global challenges such as climate change, artificial intelligence and what he termed a growing “polycrisis”, Chaturvedi called on students and faculty to nurture the “Nalanda spirit”, rooted in dialogue, ethics, sustainability and compassion, as a framework for responsible citizenship.
The ceremony featured a cultural programme by international students from Indonesia, Bhutan, Kenya, India and other countries, reflecting the university’s multicultural ethos. The Republic Day event also highlighted Nalanda’s expanding international engagement, its commitment to multilingual traditions and its vision of serving India while embracing the world.
The celebrations concluded with a collective pledge to uphold constitutional values and to continue building what the university described as a “Republic of Wisdom”, inspired by Nalanda’s timeless legacy.
Later in the day, the vice-chancellor inaugurated the Annual Sports Fest 2026. Under the Sahbhagita initiative, students and teachers from neighbouring schools were invited to attend the inaugural match at the university cricket ground, reinforcing ties between the institution and the local community through participation and inclusion.
