'Nalanda varsity to revive state's pride'

PATNA: CM Nitish Kumar was happy to announce that the Nalanda International University (NIU) project is receiving international co-operation and was also referred to in the joint declaration made by the Japanese premier Shinzo Abe and PM Manmohan Singh. Nitish - who met Abe on Wednesday in New Delhi - said the declaration mentioned the Japanese assistance for the project. He said old cultural and educational heritage of Bihar will certainly be revived with the establishment of NIU and once again scholars from across the globe will come to the state for gathering knowledge and learning about the ancient cultural heritage. Nitish said the cabinet approved the appointment of former President APJ Abdul Kalam as first Visitor of NIU, on Thursday. The University of Nalanda Act has already been passed by the state legislature which was formally approved by the cabinet. The land for the university has almost been acquired and other formalities too have been fulfilled. "I am confident that the university will start functioning very soon and the students from here will no longer need to go outside," the CM said hoping that students from abroad will also come here for studies.