MFA Press Statement: Visit by Minister For Foreign Affairs George Yeo to Bihar, India, 19 To 21 February 2009

The 5th Nalanda Mentor Group meeting in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India, has been concluded. During the meeting which took place from 19 to 20 February 2009, Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo, Nobel Laureate Professor Amartya Sen and members of the Nalanda Mentor Group examined the framework and structure governing the establishment of the Nalanda University. They recommended an inaugural Rector for the Nalanda University to the Indian government. The Group also decided to add the School of Information Sciences and Technology to the earlier proposed six schools that would form part of the forthcoming University. (Please see Annex below for the list of schools.) It was decided that the University should have affiliations with academic institutions of distinction in other countries such as Chulalongkorn University of Thailand and the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) of Singapore.

The Nalanda Mentor Group also visited the proposed site of the Nalanda University. The land had already been acquired by the Bihar government. The Nalanda Mentor Group called on Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar in Patna, capital of Bihar, and briefed him on the status of the project. He pledged his full support for the project. The Chief Minister and his officials, in turn, updated the Nalanda Mentor Group on infrastructure development in Nalanda as well as the proposed master plan of the region.

Responding to the Singapore Buddhist Lodge's application for a piece of land in Bodh Gaya for the development of a proposed Pilgrim Centre for Singaporeans to facilitate cultural exchange as well as Buddhist pilgrimages to Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and District Magistrate of Gaya Sanjay Kumar Singh identified two plots of land for the Singapore Buddhist Lodge's consideration. Minister Yeo expressed his appreciation to the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for facilitating this project. Minister Yeo then accompanied the delegation from the Singapore Buddhist Lodge to view the plots during their visit to Bodh Gaya. The Singapore Buddhist Lodge will now follow up on the administrative details with the Bihar government.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
21 FEBRUARY 2009

ANNEX

LIST OF PROPOSED SCHOOLS

(a) School of Buddhist Studies, Philosophy and Comparative Religions
(b) School of Historical Studies
(c) School of International Relations and Peace Studies
(d) School of Business Management and Development Studies
(e) School of Languages and Literature
(f) School of Ecology and Environmental Studies
(g) School of Information Sciences and Technology

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