Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Governor and Chancellor of Acharya Nagarjuna University (ANU) S Abdul Nazeer on Friday said establishing a ‘Centre of Buddhist Studies’ at the university would be a befitting tribute to the renowned philosopher and scholar Acharya Nagarjuna.
Addressing the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Acharya Nagarjuna University at the university auditorium, Nazeer congratulated the Vice Chancellor, faculty, staff, students and alumni on the institution completing 50 years of dedicated service in higher education, research and societal development.
“It would be a befitting tribute to the great philosopher if the University could explore the possibility of establishing a ‘Centre of Buddhist Studies’ at the University, in his honour,” the Governor said in the Lok Bhavan release.
Nazeer said Acharya Nagarjuna University had evolved from a postgraduate centre of Andhra University into one of the prominent centres of higher education, research and academic excellence in Andhra Pradesh.
He recalled that the foundation of the institution was laid in 1967 with the establishment of the Andhra University Post-Graduate Centre at Nallapadu in Guntur district as an extension centre of Andhra University. It became a full-fledged university in 1976 and was formally inaugurated on September 11, 1976, by then President of India Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed.
The Governor said the university began its academic journey with 10 departments and 600 students in 1976 and had grown to around 6,000 students and 100 research scholars.
He said the university was renamed Acharya Nagarjuna University in 2004 in honour of Acharya Nagarjuna, who hailed from Vedali of the Andhra region in the second century AD.
Describing Nagarjuna as a foundational Indian philosopher, scholar-monk and founder of the Madhyamaka or Middle Way school of Mahayana Buddhism, Nazeer said he was known as the ‘Second Buddha’ for his influence on Buddhist thought after Gautama Buddha.
According to the Lok Bhavan, the Governor also highlighted Nagarjuna's contributions to medicine, chemistry and metallurgy and said he authored works including Arogyamanjari, Yogasar, Ras Ratnakar, Rashrudaya and Rasendramangal.
Nazeer said the university had expanded its academic programmes to include Arts, Commerce, Law, Sciences, Physical Education, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Engineering and Technology, and Architecture and Planning. He said the university was now spread across a 266-acre campus with residential, hostel and academic infrastructure.
Highlighting the institution's academic achievements, he said ANU received NAAC A+ accreditation in 2024 with a CGPA of 3.46 out of four. In the QS Asia Rankings 2026, the university was placed in the 761–770 band, making it the highest-ranked university in Andhra Pradesh, while it secured the 101–150 band in the overall category of the NIRF Rankings 2025 and second position among universities in the state.
“These recognitions reaffirm the University's continuous commitment to academic quality, research, innovation and institutional excellence. Undoubtedly, the credit for these achievements goes to the University’s vibrant academic community,” Nazeer said as per Lok Bhavan.
He described teaching and research as the “two eyes and twin goals” of any university and said research at ANU covered both fundamental and applied areas, with emphasis on contemporary challenges and advancement of knowledge.
The Governor said the university should use its five-decade legacy to expand access to quality education and create opportunities for students and scholars from diverse sections of society.
“As it celebrates its Golden Jubilee year in 2026, the University ought to look back with pride on the five decades of academic excellence and service and look forward to the future with renewed commitment to innovation, research, entrepreneurship, technology-driven education and societal transformation,” he said.
Nazeer said the Golden Jubilee was not merely a celebration of the past but an opportunity to reaffirm the university's commitment to shaping a knowledge-driven, inclusive and progressive society.
He said the university's vision for the coming decades placed emphasis on innovation, advanced research, entrepreneurship, technology-driven education, skill development and societal transformation.
The Governor also highlighted the university's notable alumni, including former Chief Justice of India Justice N V Ramana, judges of various High Courts, ministers, IAS and IPS officers, Armed Forces officers, vice chancellors, scientists working in the US and Australia, corporate leaders and entrepreneurs.
“I am confident that with its rich academic heritage, expanding research capabilities, dedicated academic community and commitment to inclusive and quality education, Acharya Nagarjuna University will remain steadfast in its mission of shaping a knowledge-driven, inclusive and progressive society and strengthening its contribution to the development of Swarnandhra and Viksit Bharat@2047,” he said.
Before concluding, Nazeer recalled the wisdom of Acharya Nagarjuna and quoted him: “Just as it is known that an image of one's face is seen depending on a mirror but does not really exist as a face, so the conception of "I" exists Dependent on mind and body, but like the image of a face, the "I" does not at all exist as its own reality.”
The Governor also paid tribute to educationists and teachers who shaped generations of students and contributed to the development of the university.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.