Governor’s New Proposal for a Buddhist Studies Centre

Andhra Pradesh Governor and Chancellor of Acharya Nagarjuna University, S. Abdul Nazeer, suggested exploring the possibility of establishing a Centre of Buddhist Studies at the university. He attended the Golden Jubilee celebrations as the chief guest at the university auditorium in Nagarjuna Nagar, Guntur district, on the 11th of this month. The Governor recalled that the institution began as a postgraduate centre of Andhra University in 1967 and became a full-fledged university in 1976. It started with 10 departments and 600 students and now has 6,000 students and 100 research scholars. He noted that the university was renamed Acharya Nagarjuna University in 2004 in honour of the renowned Buddhist philosopher and scholar Acharya Nagarjuna, who belonged to the Andhra region in the 2nd century CE.

The Governor congratulated Vice-Chancellor Prof. K. Gangadhara Rao and his team on the university receiving the NAAC ‘A+’ grade in 2024 and securing recognition in the QS Asia Rankings 2026 and NIRF Rankings 2025. He said the Golden Jubilee celebrations provide an opportunity to reflect on five decades of academic excellence and service while strengthening the university’s focus on innovation, research, entrepreneurship, technology-driven education and social transformation. He also expressed hope that the institution would contribute to the goals of Swarnandhra and Viksit Bharat@2047. Earlier, the Governor unveiled the special Golden Jubilee logo. Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education In-charge Chairman Prof. S. Vijaya Bhaskar Rao, Vice-Chairperson Prof. K. Ratna Sheelamani and other dignitaries attended the event.