New Delhi, Feb 10 : A thought-provoking discussion on the book Nalanda: How It Changed the World by diplomat and author Abhay Kumar was held in Delhi on Monday. Organized by the India Foundation in collaboration with the India Habitat Centre, the event brought together distinguished scholars and intellectuals, including Come Carpentier de Gourdon, Distinguished Fellow at the India Foundation; Sunaina Singh, Former Vice Chancellor of Nalanda University; and Rajiv Mehrotra, Trustee-Secretary of The Foundation for Universal Responsibility of the Dalai Lama. The discussion explored the profound influence of Nalanda University on global knowledge traditions and its enduring relevance in contemporary education and philosophy.

The panelists delved into Nalanda’s historical significance as a hub for intellectual exchange, highlighting its contributions to various disciplines such as medicine, arts, and mathematics.

In his address, Abhay Kumar expressed gratitude to the India Foundation and shared his personal connection to Nalanda, recounting visits to its ruins as a child. His curiosity about its past led him to research and write the book, which sheds light on Nalanda’s pivotal role in shaping knowledge systems worldwide. Scholar Come Carpentier de Gourdon praised the book for its well-structured approach, noting that Nalanda’s multidisciplinary teaching methods were ahead of their time. Sunaina Singh emphasized the university’s rich tradition of knowledge and its contributions to translation, theory-based learning, and experiential education.