"Once the university is declared a world heritage site, it would boost tourism in the entire area," Kumar said after inaugurating 'Kundalpur mahotsav' on the occasion of birth anniversary of Lord Mahavira in Nalanda district.
The Nalanda International University is being constructed under supervision of External Affairs Ministry near the ruins of historical Nalanda university, seat of learning in the ancient times.
"Sermons of Lord Mahavira were still relevant and worth following for welfare of mankind," he said, adding, "his messages like non-violence is the supreme religion and live and let live have become relevant today".
Kumar inaugurated 12 panchayat bhawans, 13 school buildings and two programmes of Biharsharif Municipal Corporation among others.
Speaker of Bihar Legislative Assembly Uday Narayan Choudhary stressed that the world today needs to tread on the path shown by Lord Mahavira.
Rural Development Minister Shrawan Kumar and Nalanda MP Kaushlendra Kumar were present on the occasion among others.