Banaras Hindu University

About

Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is one of India's most prestigious central universities, renowned for its vast multidisciplinary offerings and a unique blend of modern education with traditional Indian values. It excels across a wide spectrum of fields, with particularly strong faculties in Arts, Social Sciences, Science, Agriculture, and its highly regarded Institute of Medical Sciences. For international students, BHU offers a rich cultural immersion within a supportive environment, facilitated by its dedicated International Students' Centre (ISC) which assists with admissions, visa processes, and overall welfare. Many programs are taught in English, and the university actively promotes global academic exchange, making its sprawling, green campus a distinctive hub for learning and experiencing India's heritage.

Background

Banaras Hindu University () (BHU), formerly Benares Hindu University, is a collegiate, central, and research university located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, and founded in 1916. It is ranked amongst the most prestigious universities of the country. The university incorporated the Central Hindu College, which had been founded by theosophist and future Indian Home Rule leader Annie Besant in 1898. By December 1911, Annie Besant and the Theosophists had relinquished day-to-day control of the Central Hindu College to Madan Mohan Malaviya and others, who emphasised a more orthodox Hindu education, preserving traditional practices such as the hereditary caste system, in contrast to Besant's Theosophical vision. Five years later Malaviya established the university with the support of the maharaja of Darbhanga Rameshwar Singh, the maharaja of Benares Prabhu Narayan Singh, and the lawyer Sunder Lal. With over 30,000 students, and 18,000 residing on campus, BHU is the largest residential university in Asia. The university is one of the eight public institutions declared as an Institute of Eminence...

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