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Nevada (US), Nov 22 (ANI): Catholic University Leuven (Belgium), oldest existing Catholic university in the world founded in 1425, is offering Hinduism classes in English and Dutch.

These Hinduism courses will acquaint students with Veda, Bhagavad-Gita, Upanishads, epics and Puranas, tantric and bhakti traditions, concept of salvation, philosophical traditions, etc. On the oral exam, students are supposed to be able to explain cited Sanskrit terms. It is included in Master of Theology and Religious Studies and some other programs.

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, founded by Pope Martin V, has about 37000 students from all over the world and offers 120 postgraduate academic programs with revenue of about $890 million. Mark Waer is the Rector.

Prominent Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, described Catholic University’s action as “a step in the right direction”.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, argued that religion was a complex element of our lives and religion comprises much more than one’s own individual experience or specific tradition. God, as a sign of God’s munificence and benevolence, constructively wished presence of different faiths.

Rajan Zed urged the schools/departments of religion of other major world universities to strengthen their Hinduism sections. Hinduism being the oldest religion with rich philosophical thought and a vast array of scriptures needed more exploration. Zed especially asked the Harvard, Cambridge, Yale, Princeton, Oxford, Stanford, Columbia, McGill, Australian National, Tokyo, Copenhagen, Heidelberg, Uppsala, and Utrecht universities to further enrich their Hinduism resources. (ANI)