Indira Gandhi National Open University, known as IGNOU, is a public distance learning university located in New Delhi, India. Named after the former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi, the university was established in 1985 with a budget of ₹20 million, after the Parliament of India passed the Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985. I…Indira Gandhi National Open University, known as IGNOU, is a public distance learning university located in New Delhi, India. Named after the former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi, the university was established in 1985 with a budget of ₹20 million, after the Parliament of India passed the Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985. IGNOU is run by the central government of India, and with a total active enrollment of over 4 million students, it is the largest university in the world.