AP Governor Suggests A Centre Of Buddhist Studies At ANU
Abdul Nazeer said the centre would be a befitting tribute to the great Indian philosopher in whose name the university has been established.
Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer advised the Acharya Nagarjuna University (ANU) on Friday to explore the possibility of setting up a “Centre of Buddhist Studies” as a befitting tribute to the great Indian philosopher in whose name the university has been established.
Addressing a gathering to mark the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the ANU at the university premises in Guntur, the Governor described Acharya Nagarjuna as a foundational Indian philosopher, social monk, and founder of Madhyamaka – Middle Way – school of Mahayana Buddhism. Nagarjuna had become known as the Second Buddha for his massive influence on Buddhist-thought after Gautama Buddha.
Nazeer pointed out that Acharya Nagarjuna had also been famous as the Medicine Buddha for his significant contributions to the field of curative medicine and authoring medical books like Arogyamanjari and Yogasar.
The Governor appreciated that a PG Centre of Andhra University in 1967 transformed into a full-fledged Acharya Nagarjuna University in 1976 and later evolved into a prominent centre of higher education, research, and academic excellence in AP.
Nazeer congratulated vice chancellor Prof. K. Gangadhara Rao and his team for the university receiving the NAAC A+ grade accreditation in 2024 with an impressive CGPA of 3.46 out of 4.00. ANU also has notable positions in national and international rankings with QS Asia Rankings 2026 and NIRF Rankings in 2025.
The Governor said the Golden Jubilee celebrations offer the Acharya Nagarjuna University an opportunity to look back with pride on the five decades of its academic excellence and service and look forward to the future with renewed commitment to innovation, research, entrepreneurship, and technology-driven education and societal transformation.
Nazeer hoped the university would remain steadfast in its mission of shaping a knowledge-driven, inclusive, and progressive society and contributing to the development of Swarna Andhra and Viksit Bharat 2047.
On the occasion, the Governor unveiled the special logo of ANU’s Golden Jubilee Year.