Gorakhpur, Mar 25 (IANS): The Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University is planning turn the Mahayogi Guru Shri Gorakshnath Shodhpeeth into an international institute and will open its research centres in Russia, America, Spain and Nepal.

The centre is involved in research on the Nath sect to which Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath belongs.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Rajesh Singh, said: "The Mahayogi Guru Gorakshnath Shodhpeeth plans to open research centres in other countries. The first step in this direction is establishment of centres in Russia, America, Spain and Nepal.

"Yogi Matsyendra from Russia has worked on the Nath Sect. He will be the coordinator of Russia centre and will provide research fellowship and post-doctoral fellowship. Similarly we plan to appoint coordinators in the other three centres and provide fellowships.

"The process of opening centres abroad is underway and we plan to start them this year. Anybody can apply for the fellowship, provided the applicant fulfils the basic qualification like knowledge of English or Hindi language, a six-month certificate course on the Nath sect and the necessary qualification prescribed by the particular centre.

"We will also provide six-month certificate course on Nath Sect, both in online and offline modes."

The university will engage with experts and scholars of the sect working in Nepali, English, Spanish, German and French languages.

These experts will help in the compilation and translation of Nath sect literature available in these languages.

Foreign language experts and scholars will also help in the publication of upcoming six volumes of encyclopaedia.

The first draft volume was released by the Chief Minister recently.

Professor Singh said the new sprawling building of the Shodhpeeth is ready and will be functional soon.

It will have a separate section for foreign languages.