On Sunday, Nalanda University in Bihar, India, launched 'Shastrarth 2026', reviving an ancient tradition of scholarly debate associated with the historic Nalanda Mahavihara. This initiative is part of the university's academic calendar and aims to foster intellectual dialogue and logical reasoning among students. The event will continue on Monday and features public dissertation defenses and thematic debates covering diverse subjects, including Buddhist studies, archaeology, ecology, international relations, and philosophy. Vice-chancellor Sachin Chaturvedi highlighted that education should not solely depend on artificial intelligence but must also involve intellectual struggle and self-reflection. To encourage excellence in intellectual discourse, the university is introducing the 'Nalanda Shastrarth Samman' for teachers and the 'Nalanda Shastrarth Award' for students. The university's second convocation was attended by President Droupadi Murmu, while its first convocation featured former President Pranab Mukherjee. Notably, the university's newly constructed net-zero campus in Rajgir was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2024, marking a significant milestone for the institution.