Winning architectural design of Nalanda International University will be declared on May 6

Updated on: Monday, May 06, 2013

The winner of the Nalanda International University's architectural design competition will be announced.

Lord Meghnad Desai, a member of the governing board of Nalanda University, said, "As per our vision to revive the glorious heritage of the ancient university, we will be declaring the winning architectural design on May 6, from eight shortlisted firms, globally."

The eminent academician said this before his visit to the site of the proposed university in Nalanda district, about 88 kms, from Bihar's capital Patna.

"We received about 80 proposals from different firms from around the world. After careful scrutiny, we have finally shortlisted eight entries and the jury will now select the best," Desai said.

The Professor Emeritus at the London School of Economics further said that the ancient fifth century university was an architectural icon and that the proposed university too should reflect the ancient grandeur.

"Nalanda was an architectural icon and the new revived university too should reflect the grandeur that this ancient seat of learning once possessed," he said.

According to the university's official website, the eight shortlisted firms are CP Kukreja Associates, Hundred Hands and Allies & Morrison (JV), Opolis and Maki & Associates (JV),Raj Rewal Associates and Dulal Mukherjee & Associates and Arun Rewal Associates (JV).

Other finalists are Sikka Associates Architects and Atkins China Ltd (JV), Space Matters and Space Design Consultants and Snohetta Overseas SA (JV), Vastu Shilpa Consultants, Virender Khanna & Associates and IDOM Ingenieria y Consultoria, SA (JV).

The University had launched its design competition on November 21 last year for the Master Plan of the sprawling campus and the architectural design of buildings and facilities that will come up in Phase-I of the project.

Set to come up in 450 acres in Rajgir about 10 kms from the site of the ruins of ancient Nalanda, the University has generated huge interest in the revival of the centuries-old seat of learning.

The campus will have schools in historical studies, Buddhist studies, philosophy and comparative religion, international relations and peace studies, among others.

In 2006, the revival project took shape at the initiative of then President A P J Kalam. It has received support from Singapore, Japan and other Asian countries.

Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen and Rajya Sabha MP N K Singh are some of its other governing board members. Gopa Sabharwal is the vice-chancellor of the University.

Nalanda University, one of the finest centres of learning from the fifth century to about 12th century, was ransacked and destroyed by an army led by Bakhtiyar Khilji.

Built in red bricks as visible in its ruins today, the ancient structure had a towering library among its other imposing architecture.

Winning architectural design of Nalanda International University will be declared on May 6

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