GRADUATES PLAN TEACHING, EXCAVATIONS AND MORE

Rajgir, Aug. 27: The 12 students from Nalanda University's first batch, who passed out today, were overwhelmed at getting their degrees and pained at having to leave Rajgir, a place they fell in love with in the past two years.

Students of the Class of 2016 - as they are also referred to - were admitted to the School of Historical Studies and School of Ecology and Environment Studies. Among them were two foreign students - Akiro Nakamura from Japan and Ngawang Jamtsho from Bhutan. With Akiro and Ngawang in the School of Historical Studies were Shaashi Ahlawat from Bahadurgarh (Haryana) and Pavani Sai Ram Uppuluri from Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh).

Shaashi and Sana Salah from Kolkata, the latter a student of the School of Ecology and Environment Studies, received the Chancellor gold medal for their academic performance. Shaashi, who had BTech degree in IT, said: "Many were confused when I opted for historical studies after IT. But it was my interest."

Shaashi (24) takes interest in art history, specifically South Asian Buddhist Art.

She is passionate about making use of her computer technology background in art history to make art-material traces from South Asia more accessible to the masses.

She will soon join the Rajgir Archaeological Survey Project and also pursue her PhD.

Sana is "devoted to the protection of animals" and wants to pursue research in biodiversity, agriculture and sustainability. "I will soon move to Tokyo University for my PhD," Sana said. She now works with the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (India) as a programme specialist. "The programmes at Nalanda University engage in inter-disciplinary modes of learning, aimed at fostering research in local, regional and global issues," Sana said.

Ngawang, the student from Bhutan, plans to return to the Institute of Language and Culture Studies, Taktse, Royal University of Bhutan .

Before joining Nalanda in 2014, Ngawang had taught there for 12 years.

"The dynamic teaching and learning process at the ancient Nalanda University had attracted students from across the globe," Ngawang said. "The new Nalanda University's vision is to do the same."

The student from Japan, Nakamura, has sounded the Archaeological Survey of India in Delhi and Nagpur for a joint excavation by an Indian and Japanese team of Mansar ruins in Nagpur.

"Present day Nalanda University is an ideal place to pursue archaeology and historical studies, specially because it is close to Nalanda and the Telhara ruins."