Who Founded the Ancient Nalanda University?

Nalanda University was founded in the 5th Century CE by the great Emperor Kumaragupta I (also known by his title Shakraditya).

• He was a highly powerful ruler belonging to the glorious Gupta Dynasty (often called the Golden Age of India).
• Although the Gupta kings were devout followers of Hinduism, Kumaragupta built Nalanda as a center for Buddhist learning, showing immense religious tolerance.

At its peak in the 7th century, Nalanda was a marvel of the ancient world:

• It had over 10,000 students and 2,000 highly qualified teachers.
• The Library: The most famous part of Nalanda was its massive, nine-story library called Dharmaganja. It contained hundreds of thousands of handwritten manuscripts covering subjects like Buddhism, Vedas, logic, medicine, astronomy, and mathematics.
• The famous Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang) lived and studied at Nalanda for several years and wrote detailed diaries about its greatness.

This beacon of knowledge met a tragic end in the late 12th century (around 1193 CE).

• It was brutally attacked and completely destroyed by a Turkish invader named Bakhtiyar Khilji.
• Historical accounts say that Khilji ordered the great library to be set on fire. The library was so massive and contained so many books that the fire kept burning continuously for three to six months.