“Why the Campaign Against Nalanda University Fails the Test of Our Own Civilizational Rigour”, Swarajya, 14 Sep 2026.

“I write this from a very clear and unapologetic ideological standpoint: I am a staunch believer in the Hindu tradition, and I hold a deeply traditional outlook that values our civilizational past and the ways in which our ancestors rigorously approached the pursuit of knowledge. A significant part of my life has been dedicated to understanding the profound intellectual heritage of this land. It is precisely because of this background that I feel compelled to address the recent, swelling campaign against the revived Nālandā University.

Over the past few weeks, a narrative has taken root across social media platforms, accusing Nālandā University of disparaging Hindu traditions. The accusation, driven by a flurry of posts and forwards, rests on an allegedly leaked email and a handful of claims repeated in an echo chamber, with virtually no substantive evidence. I have no institutional affiliation with Nālandā. I have never taught there, nor have I applied to. What follows is an objective academic’s judgement, rooted in the very traditions that the detractors claim to protect.

Let us begin with what a serious intellectual charge requires. A university is not a nebulous mood; it is an institution. It comprises syllabi, reading lists, recorded lectures, examination papers, and course outcomes filed meticulously with academic councils. Therefore, the questions that must be put to anyone alleging that Hindu traditions are being insulted at Rajgir are dull, exact, and foundational: Which lecture? Which syllabus? Which page number? Which timestamp?……….”

Read the full article at Swarajya.