President inspects construction work of Nagananda International Buddhist University

President Maithripala Sirisena visited the proposed site of the Manelwatte Nagananda International Buddhist University at Bollegala in Kelaniya on 10 November, to inspect the progress of the construction work.

This international university is being built on the model of the ancient Nalanda University in India, which is considered to be the oldest Buddhist higher education centre. Nearly 50 acre land extent at the Manelwatte Viharaya has been earmarked for the new university. The foundation stone was laid in 2013 for the construction of the university and it will be completed by 2016.

The university will comprise of lecture halls, administration buildings, library, spacious auditorium that can accommodate 1,500 people, separate students’ residential facilities for 750 men, women and monks and all other facilities needed for the university.

The Nagananda International Buddhist University is already functioning in temporary buildings and there are 300 Sri Lankan and foreign students studying in the university. Students from India, Indonesia, Thailand, Burma, Hong Kong and China are among them.

The university consists of the faculties for Buddhism and Philosophy, Holistic Medicine, Social Sciences, Early Buddhist Sources, Practical and Applied Buddhism and Systems of Medicine.

President Sirisena who inspected the university checked the future plans of it.

The piece of land Manelwatta was offered for Buddha Sasana by the late President J.R. Jayewardene and his wife in 1962, stating that a Buddhist studies institution should be built in the land in the future. Making that wish a reality, the Nagananda University was built under the instruction of Ven. Dr. Bodhagama Chandima Thero.

Executive Director of the Nagananda International Buddhist University Chief Incumbent of Kelaniya Manelwatta Temple Ven. Dr. Bodhagama Chandima Thero, Ministers Lakshaman Kiriella, Ruwan Wijayawardena, Arjuna Ranathunga and Jagath Sumathipala participated in this occasion.