The budget announcement of Rs 1 crore provision for organising a seminar on Buddhist heritage in Gujarat has given an opportunity to the M S University to get international recognition.

According to the M S U authorities, the seminar will be organised by the Archaeology Department of the university in association with the Government of Gujarat on January 15-16, 2010. However, the preparations for the same have already begun.

Speaking to Newsline, Prof Ramesh Goyal, MSU Vice-Chancellor, said, “MSU Department of Archaeology, was the first to find an evidence of Buddhist culture in the state in 1960’s.”

According to the experts in the university’s archaeology department, the relics related to the Buddhist culture were excavated first at Dev ni Mori in Sabarkantha district during 1960. Moreover, the archaeology department of the university also has ashes of Gautama Buddha which were found from a "Stupa" at Dev ni Mori.

Goyal said, “Not many people are aware about MSU’s contribution to Buddhist culture.”

He said the seminar will be organised in association with the state’s tourism department.

Responding to a query if this initiative was part of the university’s “Go MSU International (GOMSI)”, he said: “We wanted to expand C C Mehta Auditorium in MSU premises for holding international seminars. But it is not possible to make arrangements in such a short notice. And hence, the venue of the seminar will be outside the campus.”