SPPU students to get hands-on training as tour guides at Buddhist sites

The department has agreed to allow post-graduate students of Buddhist heritage and tourism at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) to get hands-on training and on-field experience working at these sites.

In 2021, the Department of Pali at SPPU launched a postgraduate diploma course in Buddhist heritage and tourism, mainly aimed at helping students get skilled to avail jobs in the tourism industry. Here, students learn subjects such as Philosophical Heritage, History of Buddhism in Asia, Buddhist Virtual Art, Architecture of world Buddhist Heritage sites, Buddhist Pilgrimage sites in India, Living Buddhist Cultural Heritage, and Fundamentals of Tourism and Heritage Studies.

As the first batch of students are nearing the completion of their course, they will soon take up internships in Pune. “Along with boosting the economy, Buddhist heritage tourism offers philosophy, history and a lot of information about heritage sites. The ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) was also in need of trained manpower to assist tours at its heritage sites, and now our students can get an opportunity,” said Professor Mahesh Deokar, head of the Department of Pali at SPPU.

The Archaeology Department has approved the proposal of internships and an MoU with SPPU will be signed soon, he added. There are 10 students in the first batch, who will soon start three-months internships at these sites.

India is home to a number of globally renowned Buddhist sites, including many Buddhist caves across Maharashtra.

“About 90 per cent of the rock-cut Buddhist caves are in Maharashtra, in addition to other heritage sites. There is a dire need to develop a tourism circuit and explore these sites,” said Deokar.