Vice-chancellor Gopa Sabharwal and dean, academic planning, Anjana Sharma apprised the 15 students of the first batch of the mission and vision of the university. Five faculty members and other varsity officials were also present in the one-hour-45-minute event that was followed by high tea.
The classes of two schools — School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences and School of Historical Studies — of the international university would start on Monday. “Today’s event has been organised to orient the students towards the educational journey ahead,” Mihir Deb, a faculty member of School of Ecology and Environment Sciences, told The Telegraph minutes before the orientation programme started at 2.45pm.
In a lighter vein, VC Sabharwal said the varsity was starting its journey at an auspicious time — a day after Teej and on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.
The event began with the book signing by Nalanda Pioneers — the first batch of students — at the first floor foyer of the Rajgir Convention Centre, around 5km from the varsity’s upcoming new campus and around 2km from the Rajgir bus stand. Then the venue of the programme shifted to the ground floor auditorium, where dean Sharma welcomed the students. Lighting of the traditional lamp followed at 3.05pm.
Thereafter, Sabharwal addressed the students. She made a PowerPoint presentation on the varsity, focusing on its vision and mission.
Dean Sharma then took over the microphone. She delivered an inspirational speech for 15 minutes.
From 3.55pm, the five faculty members introduced themselves to the students. Mihir Deb and Somnath Bandyopadhyay of the School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, and Samuel Wright, Kashshaf Ghani and Yin Ker of the School of Historical Studies, took to the dais one after the other.
Students were allotted 20 minutes to give their introduction. After concluding remarks, all the participants proceeded to the exhibition hall for high tea.
Sipping a cup of steaming tea, Daniel Machare, a student of School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, said: “I am looking forward to the field trips, talked about in the orientation programme. We also learnt how this university would be different from the others.”
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