Srinivasan A wide range of subjects were taught by experienced masters: Vedas, Language, Grammar, Philosophy, Medicine, Surgery, Archery, Politics, Warfare, Astronomy, Astrology, Accounts, Commerce, Futurology, Documentation, Occult, Music, Dance, etc. The minimum entrance age was 16. Admission into this university was purely based on merit. And there were 10,500 students. The panel of masters included renowned names like Kau tilya (author of the Arthashastra), Panini (codifier of Sanskrit into today’s form), Jivak (medicine) & Vishnu Sharma (Panchtantra). When Alexander’s armies came to the Punjab in the 4th century B.C., Takshashila had already developed a reputation as an important seat of learning. Thus on his return Alexander took many scholars from there with him to Greece. Takshashila had to face the brunt of attacks. And invasion s from the north & the west. Thus the Persians, Greeks, Parthians, Shakas and Kushanas laid A TO Z INDIA AUGUST 2022 PAGE 29 Takshashila: The World’s oldest University Takshashila, north-western region of Bharat: