UGC team during one of its visits to Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda (Deemed University), Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India suggested that "NNM must have a Journal which gradually be turned into the face of the University". Although time and again, the matter came in discussion of academic council, it remained inconclusive. When Shri M. L. Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India took over the charge of the Mahavihara as its Vice-Chancellor, this agenda again came in discussion of academic Council and subsequently in the Board of Management of the Mahavihara which finally approved the same unanimously. It was decided that Dean Academics and Dean Students' Welfare along with the Heads of the Dept. of English and Hindi would form the editorial board while the Vice-Chancellor would be its ex-officio Editor-in-Chief. It was decided that the Journal would be named as Sri Nalanda. The name of Journal symbolises reverence to the place and all that happened in Sri Nalanda Mahavihara, ancient University of Nalanda.
With Joining of Prof. Baidyanath Labh as NNM's first regular Vice-Chancellor on September 5, 2018, the agenda received further Philip. He fixed 20th November 2019 as the date of the release of the Journal during the annual foundation day celebrations of the Mahavihara.
NNM had several research Volumes of repute to its credit but it did not publish a Journal in the strict sense of the word. Thus publication of the maiden Volume of the Journal is like fulfilling the Mahavihara's long-felt dream.
But the question arises that when there are already thousands of Journals run by individuals and institutions in India why the Mahavihara is adding one more to the list?
The answer to this question is rooted in the foundation background of the Mahavihara which was founded in 1951 in order to revive the lost glory of the ancient University of Nalanda.
What was so special about the ancient University of Nalanda? Nalanda was, undoubtedly, the first unique experiment in the field of organised education in India. It was a happy blend of theory and practice. What was taught in theory was practised in life. Modern emphasise on holistic education which aimed at all-round Indian thinkers such as Swami Vivekanand and Rabindranath Tagore development of an individual- his head, heart and hand. The aim of education at Nalanda was no different. Character-building or making absent from our modern system of education. In this regard, Nalanda of man was the hallmark of education, a vital element conspicuously has lots to offer. No deliberation on Nalanda can be complete enough. Therefore, ŚRĪ NALANDA, like the current issue would continue to accept liberally submissions on Nalanda. Or Subject in Humanities are taught in educational institutions expecting it would make the learners more humane. Our experiences of them fall for short of expectations. They do not seem to help people discover, develop and refine their talent, passions and abilities. The journal wishes to deliberate the issue further. The current issue has inducted paper dealing with this issue.
Modern education, no doubt, has great attainments to boost. But it is not without limitations. Through it the modern man has discovered a lot about the outer world but little about his own inner self. Consequent upon it, the man has equipped himself with knowledge to judge everything except himself. But same is not true about Indian educational System. From the very beginning, it has kept the human being himself into the centre. Consequently India's spiritual attainment has been phenomenal. Therefore the world turned disproportionately outwardly, looks forward to India for solace and inner fulfilment. In view of the above facts, Śrī Nalanda wishes to explore further the why and how of spiritualism hoping it to be redeeming factor for many kinds of ailments modern men suffer from. Incidentally the current issue could not induct any paper on such deliberation. But editors are keen to include the same in its future volumes. Similarly we require to reassess our own history, culture, philosophy and literature so that we could be authentic voice on our own things. For this reason submissions on Indology would also be appreciated.
The very ethos of the Mahavihara is Buddhistic. Besides, Buddhism is not a religion in the sense many other religions are. It is philosophy, a way of life, very practical and scientific and above all, great repository of moral, social and cultural values. Due to this reason, the current issue has preponderance of papers relating to Buddhism.
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