When it comes to nomenclature, many new-age institutes and universities are borrowing from the past. Nalanda, an ancient seat of learning, is a modern university now. Takshashila and Ashoka, too, invoke a celebrated past.
Now, Plaksha (Sanskrit for the ficus tree; many a gurukulas are imagined to have flourished under its shade) joins the league.
“Names that are rooted in Indianness are, at some level, connected to the founding community,” said Vineet Gupta, part of founding team at Plaksha University. “Also, it is about making a statement that we (the institutes) are a global brand coming from India.”
Indian scriptures state that the River Sarasvati, synonymous with learning, originated from a world tree called plaksha, which grew in the foothills of the Sivalik. The name Plaksha, the founders told FE, reflects the idea of the university as a tree, from which a river of learning flows endlessly.
The university is spread over a 50-acre campus close to the Chandigarh International Airport. By 2035, it aims to have 8,000 students on the campus. In addition, Plaksha aims to catalyse 1,000 start-ups in 10 years.