SANCHI UNIVERSITY OF BUDDHIST-INDIC STUDIES

Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies (SUBIS) is a state university situated at Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh, India. It was established in 2013 by the Government of Madhya Pradesh through the Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies Act, 2012. The foundation stone of the university was laid on 21 September 2012 by the then President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, an event that took place amid protests by the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, who objected to the Sri Lankan president's visit. The university has had two known vice-chancellors: Yajneshwar Shastri, who was appointed in July 2016, and Neerja Arun Gupta, who succeeded him in February 2022. SUBIS is associated with the study of Buddhist and Indic traditions, reflecting its location near Sanchi, a site of historical Buddhist significance. It is mentioned alongside other institutions dedicated to Buddhist studies, such as the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies in Leh, the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in Varanasi, Gautam Buddha University in Noida, and Lumbini Buddhist University in Nepal, as part of a broader network of Buddhist educational institutions.