Chizokho Vero
October 8
KOHIMA (MExN): Apart from the present two grand buildings-Nagaland Police headquarters and Nagaland Secretariat Complex in the state capital – it is now official that Nagaland will be having another ‘grand’ building added to it. If the current planning goes well, Nagaland University (NU) would own “one of most beautiful university campuses in the world.
NU Chancellor, Professor Yoginder K Alagh told media persons that the required lands have been acquired for construction for a Kohima Campus at Meriema.
Impressed by the site, Professor Alagh said that Kohima campus would be constructed to the rank of one of the most beautiful campuses in the world but that only, the hills, trees and environment around it should not be threatened.
Adding another delight to the news, he disclosed that an Institute of Hotel Management and Tourism would also be within the same precincts of the proposed site for the campus adding that the Government of Nagaland has allotted 200 acres of land at Merima village for it.
Asked when the project would start, the Chancellor said that it would start as soon as the master plan was completed and the infrastructure formalities done.
Professor Alagh, who is also a former union minister, said he would feel disappointed if some headway doesn’t take place within 2/3 years time. The National Building Construction Corporation has started campus development works as per the master plan of the University at Lumani headquarters. “We will also develop an SASARD Campus and we do have money to do something. We do have land for all three campuses” he assured adding “not to worry about the money”
Curiously, he also added that Nagaland University requires more money from Delhi to meet the necessary infrastructure.
The refusal of the required fund from the Centre would invite ‘disappointment’ he said adding that Nagaland University has reached to the stature of being a ‘top university in the country.’
It may be recalled that NU has been selected a member of the National Commission on Minority Education and has been empowered by an Act of Parliament to affiliate colleges of minority institutions from any part of India. NU is one of the few central universities having this national character. The University Grant Commission also approved women studies Centre at NU. Some major achievements of the University in the last one year includes opening of a centre for Mass Communication and Journalism in collaboration with the Centre for Tribal Research Studies, release of a text book for undergraduate students titled ‘Nagaland University Anthology of Prose and Short Stories,’ identifying potential areas of collaboration between the University of Montreal, Canada and NU, undertaking environmental studies as compulsory subject etc.
