(From left) Culture minister Sukhda Pandey, chief minister Nitish Kumar and HRD minister PK Shahi light a lamp to mark the first foundation day of Aryabhatta Knowledge University in Patna on Thursday. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Patna, March 17: Aryabhatta Knowledge University today celebrated its first foundation day on the premises of AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies.

Invited as the chief guest of the function, chief minister Nitish Kumar promised to provide all assistance for the development of the university, planned to function as a governing body for all old and new varsities in the state.

The university, which started in 2010 from a flat, was recently provided a building at AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies.

The university till now has only one permanent faculty, S.N. Guha, former principal of Patna Science College, who is also the vice-chancellor of the varsity.

Addressing the academics and ministers present at the function, Nitish said: “The government is committed to the development of the university. It will never lag behind in providing assistance.”

The chief minister asked the vice-chancellor and state human resource development minister P.K. Shahi to introduce not only general science courses such as botany, zoology, physics and chemistry but also new courses which allow students to specialise in certain fields.

The chief minister, who was impressed with the presentation on nanotechnology by Kamal Kishore, a teacher from Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University, assured that there will be separate block for the course.

Chief minister said: “Aryabhatta developed astronomy. Taregana, near Patna, was his workfield. With time, the country as well as the state have lagged behind in developing astronomical science. Time has come to once again prove our mettle in such fields and starting Aryabhatta Knowledge University is the first step towards it.”

Kishore later talking with The Telegraph said: “The chief minister enquired how much land is require for developing an institute on nanotechnology and assured that there will be a separate block for the course at Aryabhatta Knowledge University.”

P.K. Shahi said: “The state government has selected land at Mithapur on the outskirts of Patna where the university will be built.”

He said Chanakya National Law University was also functioning from AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies but now the varsity has moved to a new building at Mithapur and in May this year the institute will begin its first academic session.

Speaking at the function, state art culture and sports minister Sukhda Pandey said Aryabhatta University is an effort by the state government to connect the past with the present. Pandey said: “Today is the age of technical education and we should not lag behind other states, but at the same time we should never forget the rich cultural heritage we have.”

A larger number of teachers and academics, including IIT Patna director A.K. Bhowmik and BIT Patna director K.K. Srivastva, attended the foundation day function.