Speaking to a group of foreign students in Patna on Thursday, Governor-cum-chancellor Syed Ata Hasnain argued that India’s rising international profile rests as much on the confidence of its young people and the continuity of its cultural life as on economic indicators. His message linked cultural confidence with soft power — and urged students to balance technological engagement with an active connection to social traditions.
At a seminar titled “Youth, culture and diplomacy: Indian style” held at Lok Bhawan, Hasnain described India’s reputation abroad as rooted in an inclusive culture and an ethos of coexistence. He said the nation’s long-standing global influence has often come through ideas and spiritual traditions rather than through force.
Students from 18 countries attended the session. The forum included participants from Nalanda University, Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Central University of South Bihar and IIT Patna, who exchanged views on academic life and cultural exchange.
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The governor emphasized that modernization and tradition need not be opposed. Young people should adopt new technologies and skills while preserving language, arts and community ties, he said — a point framed as essential to sustaining India’s soft-power reach and domestic cohesion.
Later the same day, Hasnain toured Purnia University to review its academic and administrative progress with vice-chancellor Vivekanand Singh. He praised the university’s rollout of the Samarth portal for admissions and urged officials to prioritize the launch of a mass communication program.
Singh outlined current initiatives and flagged institutional challenges, seeking the chancellor’s guidance on next steps. The review focused on improving administrative systems and expanding academic offerings to meet evolving student and regional needs.
- International engagement: Presence of students from 18 countries underscores growing cross-border academic ties in Bihar’s institutions.
- Soft power at work: Cultural diplomacy — not military strength — remains a key avenue for India’s global influence, according to Hasnain.
- Admissions modernization: The Samarth portal signals a push toward more transparent, streamlined enrollment processes.
- Curriculum priorities: A proposed mass communication course could expand local media training and employability for graduates.
For readers, the developments point to two concrete trends: Indian universities are widening international connections, and state leaders are pushing to align academic programs with contemporary media and administrative tools. Both moves carry implications for students seeking cross-cultural study and for local communities that rely on university-driven economic and educational growth.
Hasnain’s remarks and the university review make clear that policymakers view culture and education as twin levers of influence — domestically and abroad — at a moment when technological change is reshaping how societies communicate and project themselves to the world.
