The University of ancient Taxila is considered to be one of the earliest universities in the world. It was a renowned ancient institute of higher learning for science, arts, medicine, astrology, and both religious and secular subjects. Taxila University was founded in the 10th century BC and was destroyed by the Huns in the 5th century AD. It was considered the ancient world’s first international university. Students came from a distant part of India and other countries. It is believed that over 20000 students from China, Babylon, Syria, and Greece studied there. Some important teachers like Panini (Indian grammarian), Chanakya, Chandra Gupta Maurya, Kumaralata (Chinese Buddhist Monk), and Vasubandhu (founder of Tibetan Buddhism) taught at Taxila University. King Pasenadi of Kosala (a close friend of the Buddha), Bandhula (commander of Pasedani’s army), Angulimala (a close friend of the Buddha), Javaka (doctor of the Buddha), and Chandragupta Maurya studied there.
Taxila is located 33.74 Degree N. 72.78 Degree E on the eastern coast of the Indus river in Punjab, Bharat-India (now 32 Km north-west of Islamabad and Rawalpindi in Pakistan). Taxila was at the crossroad of the main trade roads of Asia, was probably populated by Persians, Greek, Scythians and many ethnicities coming from the various parts of the Achaemenid Empire. The renowned archaeologist Sir Alexander Cunningham discovered the ruins of Taxila in the mid-19th century. In 1980, Taxila was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2006, it was ranked as the top tourist destination in Pakistan by the Guardian newspaper. Because of the extensive preservation efforts and upkeep, the site is a popular tourist spot, attracting up to one million tourists every year.
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