The correct answer is: B. Kumargupta-I
Nalanda University was a Mahavihara, a large Buddhist monastery in the ancient Indian kingdom of Magadha (modern-day Bihar, India). The site is located about 95 kilometers (59 mi) east of Patna, the capital of Bihar. Nalanda was a center of learning from the 5th to the 12th century CE. The university attracted students from all over Asia, and its faculty included some of the most renowned scholars of the time.
Nalanda was founded by Kumaragupta-I, a Gupta emperor, in the 5th century CE. The university was built on a large campus that included temples, monasteries, and lecture halls. Nalanda was a center of Buddhist learning, and its faculty included some of the most renowned Buddhist scholars of the time. The university also had a library that was said to contain over 9 million manuscripts.
Nalanda was destroyed by the Muslim invaders in the 12th century CE. The ruins of Nalanda were rediscovered in the 19th century, and they have been excavated by archaeologists since then. The ruins of Nalanda are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Here is a brief explanation of each option:
- A. Chandragupta Vikramaditya was a Gupta emperor who ruled from 375 to 415 CE. He is known for his military conquests and his patronage of the arts and sciences. However, there is no evidence that he founded Nalanda University.
- B. Kumargupta-I was a Gupta emperor who ruled from 415 to 455 CE. He is known for his patronage of Nalanda University. He is the most likely candidate for the founder of Nalanda University.
- C. Dharampal was a 19th-century Indian historian who wrote extensively on the history of India. He is not known to have any connection with Nalanda University.
- D. Pushyamitra was a Shunga emperor who ruled from 185 to 149 BCE. He is known for his defeat of the Mauryan Empire and his establishment of the Shunga dynasty. However, there is no evidence that he founded Nalanda University.