Visit by International Financial Corporation (IFC) team

12th May, 2011
Nava Nalanda Mahavihara received a visit from an International Financial Corporation (IFC) team. IFC, a member of the World Bank, was making its preliminary survey report for its objective of facilitating private sector investments for the development of the Buddhist Circuit in India.

Consisting of Justin Yap, Xiaofang Shen, Dr. Mike Fabricus, Shri Sudhir Sahi, and Soujanya Krishnan, the team visited all of the important Buddhist pilgrimage centres and met key stakeholders along the way. These meetings are important in helping to design the infrastructures needed to create a successful Buddhist Pilgrimage Circuit with private sector investments and local community participation.

A power point presentation on the “Revival of Ancient Buddhist Pilgrimage in Bihar” Project was made by me. This project is a joint collaboration of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara and the newly formed Bihar Virasat Vikas Samiti (Department of Art, Culture and Youth, Government of Bihar). Projects such as the “Revival of the Ancient Buddhist Pilgrimage in Bihar” have been developed to work with local community involvement along the Buddhist Circuit with the aim of developing the Buddhist Circuit to meet the needs of the visiting pilgrims and providing sustainable livelihoods for the local communities.

Dr. Panth, Vice Chancellor of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, was very pleased that the IFC team came to the presentation. Many improvements have started to be made here in Nalanda, but many more are still needed to ensure that visiting pilgrims have all the amenities they need along the Buddhist Circuit.

The team at Xuanzang Memorial Museum

Power Point Presentation in Progress