Delegates visit Vikramshila (above). Pictures by Tripurari Kumar

Patna, April 15: Vikramshila could once again be teeming with students — like centuries ago.

A visit by an 11-member Japanese delegation to the heritage site on Sunday has revived hopes. What once was a learning centre for Buddhists, could well become a bubbling university of the future with the delegation expressing its willingness to invest in the dilapidated site.

Although none of the delegates was forthcoming with figures, it has been learnt that funds would flow to develop Vikramshila on the lines of the new Nalanda University, which is being taken up as a pilot project by the government with prime support from Singapore. Several Buddhist countries have been contributing to help build an internal university of Nalanda on 1,000-odd acres land at Rajgir foothills.

Led by Harao Shimada, vice-chancellor of Chiba University of Commerce and economic adviser to former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, the delegation has been on a seven-day trip to India to explore “congenial and feasible investment” opportunities at Vikramshila, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

Shimada was accompanied by representatives of JP Morgan Asset Management, Fortis Investment, Yamazaki Associates and eight other Japanese companies.

India Centre Foundation, an independent organisation co-ordinating with groups from both countries to build parallel diplomatic ties, impressed upon the Japanese delegation to visit Vikramshila heritage. Social worker Vibhavkant Upadhyay, one of the members of the foundation, and Bhagalpur BJP leader Nishikant Dubey were the facilitators.

Dubey later told The Telegraph: “The delegation will serve as opinion-maker of the Japan government and its people as it explores the possibility of developing Vikramshila like that of Nalanda university.”

Vikramshila University, founded in 8th century, had grown into an international centre for Buddhist learning. At the beginning of the 11th century — during the reign of King Ramapala — the university had 160 teachers and 1,000 students living at the monastery.

“It is too early to expect big investments but the delegation has given out positive vibes,” Dubey said, adding that everything now depended on the team’s reports and subsequent interest of Japanese companies.

During the visit, Shimada apparently said: “We would wish to see Vikramshila flourish.”

JP Morgan Asset Management president and director Keiichi Miki, Fortis Investment director Kazuhito Yoshihara and Yamazaki Associates director Yosheo Yamazaki also showed keen interest in developing the economic climate around the ancient Buddhist seat of learning.