Patna: Nobel laureate Amartya Sen was on Thursday appointed as the first chancellor of the upcoming Nalanda International University in Bihar, an official said.

"Decision to appoint Amartya Sen as first chancellor of the university was taken on Thursday in its meeting of the board of governors here," said the official of the state education department.

The meeting also decided that the process of recruitment of acclaimed and renowned faculty for the university will begin in July 2013 and the academic session of its two schools - historical sciences and environment and ecology - will start from April 2014, the official said.

The university in Bihar's Nalanda district, about 100 km from here, will be fully residential, like the ancient Nalanda university. It will offer courses in science, philosophy and spiritualism along with social sciences. IANS