Ahimsa Times
JAIN TEMPLES
WORLD'S TALLEST IDOL OF JAIN TEERTHANKAR LORD RISHABHDEVA TO BE SANCTIFIED
February 11, 2016: Nashik: The world’s tallest idol of Lord Rishabhdeva, the first Teerthankar of Jains, carved out of a single rock at the twin pinnacled peak of Mangi Tungi near Teharabad village of Baglan tehsil in Nashik district is will sanctified on February 11, 2016 in the presence of lakhs of followers of Jainism.
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The grand 10 day long festival at the foot hills of Mangi Tungi peaks was witnessed by more than 25 lakh devotees. The idol which is carved out of a single rock is 108 feet tall and 184 sq feet in size and stands as the world’s tallest Jain idol. The 57 feet idol of Lord Bahubali in Shravanabelagola in Karnataka stands next. The inspiration for this idol was given by the revered Jain sadhavi Ganini Pramukh Gyanmati Mataji in 1996. It took almost five years for the geologists to find out single intact rock in this range, which is situated at 4,343 ft above from sea level to carve out the idol. Shilapujan was done in 2002. Sculptors from Jaipur worked tirelessly to carve the idol for last twelve years. More than 10,000 truck load of rock material was carved out for the purpose.
Mangi Tungi hills are considered to be very auspicious as it is believed that thousands of Jain monks have attained emancipation here. The idol of Lord Rishabhadeva, the first out of 24 Jain Teerthankars, and father of Lord Bahubali at this place is hence considered to be an important happening for the pilgrimage. The consecration ceremony, the Panch Kalyanank Prartishtha, of this idol at the Jain pilgrim place was a week-long ceremony attended by hundreds of Jain Acharyas, Upadhyayas, Munis, Aryikas, and Digambar Jain saints from across the country. Following the 10 days ceremony, a month long Mahamastakabhishekam started from February 18 and ended on March 13. This ritual being held for the first time at Mangi Tungi. Mahamastakabhishekam will be performed after every 12 years. Elaborate arrangements were made by the state government who had sanctioned Rs 70 crore for planed development of the Mangi Tungi. 4500 tents with attached toilet and bathroom facilities, VIP tents, bungalows, halls, and pandals were erected over 150 acre of levelled land. A grand pandal of 1 lakh sq ft was constructed to conduct the rituals. Maharashtra government made arrangements for medical aid with 44 specialist doctors from across Nashik and other districts. Special arrangements for parking, buses were in place.
BJP National President Amit Shah visited Mangi Tungi, around and took an aerial view of the 108-ft tall stone idol of Lord Rishabhanatha. Shah reached Mangi Tungi and held a meeting with senior Jain religious personalities and the organisers of the grand event. He also participated in the religious events with the devotees and left for Mumbai. It was not possible to arrange his visit to the idol venue because of security concerns. Officials were reluctant to take him up to the hills because it was difficult for vehicles to reach there.
INDIA MUST RAISE VOICE AGAINST DEMOLITION OF JAIN TEMPLE IN LAHORE: ACHARYA LOKESH
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February 17, 2016: New Delhi: Expressing deep anguish over demolition of a Jain temple in Lahore, Jain Acharya Dr Lokesh Muni has asked Indian government to intervene in the matter and get it reinstated.
A delegation of Jain monks led by Acharya Lokesh Muni met BJP President Amit Shah and discussed future course of action after Pakistan’s Punjab government demolished the remains of the already damaged temple.
Acharya Lokesh said that if need be, he will lead a delegation consisting of representatives of all religions to Pakistan and raise the issue of protection to Jain temples and gurudwaras with PM Nawaz Sharif and President Mamnoon Hussain. BJP President Amit Shah assured the delegation that he will ask Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar to speak to Pakistan High Commissioner and find a solution. “At the time of independence, the two nations had decided that in case of any such issue related to religious shrines, they will consult each other. In this case, Pakistan did not consult government of India and the temple was demolished overnight,” Amit Shah said. Acharya Lokesh pointed out that the demolition of the Jain temple is being opposed not only in India but Pakistan as well. Many social workers and human rights organisations of Pakistan are also protesting against the demolition.
Convenor of Jain Yuva Sanghatan, Anurodh Lalit Jain said, “We had requested External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to find out the exact status of the demolished temple.” Following our request, a top official of External Affairs Ministry had contacted the Indian High Commission in Islamabad and told us that the temple was demolished by a mob in 1992 and since then, neither worshiping was taking place in the temple, nor there was an idol in it, he added. “We suspect that the idol was deliberately made to disappear. Indian government should register an official protest with Pakistan on this issue,” Jain said. Before it was completely razed, the 10th-century temple was being used for some commercial purposes like shops and the office of the Lahore Waste Management Company and a private filling station.
The demolition of historical Jain temple in Lahore led to an uproar in Pakistan, with leader of opposition in Punjab assembly Mian Mehmood-ur-Rashid demanding an inquiry into the incident.Legislators belonging to all four opposition political parties including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League (Q), and Jamaat Islami (JI) condemned the project and protested against the demolition of historical buildings like Kapurthala House, Maharaja Building and Jain Mandir, located at the Jain Mandir Square.
Rashid condemned the demolition of the temple saying: "We condemn the incident. We have demanded an inquiry into the incident as to why the historical Jain temple was demolished and why it couldn't be protected?" Pakistan's Punjab government had demolished the temple for completion of Orange Line Metro Train (OMT) project. Besides the Jain temple, various other buildings, including Maharaja Building and Kapurthala House situated in Jain Mandir Square, were also brought down. Stating that there was no doubt that OMT was an ambitious project, Rashid said it was also the duty of government to protect the heritage treasure of Lahore.
THIEVES CAUGHT ROBBING GURGAON JAIN TEMPLE ON CAMERA
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February 10, 2016: Gurgaon: A Jain temple in Sector 4, Gurgaon was robbed in the early hours. The robbery of cash and silver ornaments worth lakhs was captured in its entirety on a CCTV camera installed inside the temple premises. An FIR has been registered at Sector 5 police station and cops are trying to identify the thieves by studying the CCTV footage. Rishabh Jain, President of the temple, said the thieves stole silver items, consisting of nine canopies, three bhav mandals and cash from the donation box. According to police, the thieves broke into temple early morning from the roof.
The CCTV footage shows two men using light from cell phones to break open the lockers in the dark. They spent around an hour inside the temple. In October last year, there was another robbery attempt on the temple, but it had then failed. Abhay Jain, spokesperson of the Gurgaon Jain community, said it is not the first time a Jain temple has been targeted. A year back, a Jain temple in Shikohpur was looted and in 2007, a temple in Sadar Bazar was targeted by thieves. "Jain temples are on the hit list of thieves. The area around the temples need regular patrolling and extra security.
MUMBAI JAIN SANGH COMMITS RS. 18 CRORE TO REPAIR TEMPLES
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March 9, 2016: Mumbai: A meeting was held under the banner of Samast Mumbai Shwetambar Jain Sangh, an umbrella body of 37 Jain sanghs in the city. Members of the Jain community paid Rs. 6 crore and committed Rs. 18 crore in total for various Jain temples across the country in a meeting held at the Matunga Jain Sangh.
The money was paid for repairing and rebuilding old temples, and is particularly meant for temples in places where the community is unable to carry out this work itself or where the population in the area has thinned out.
The meeting was held under the banner of Samast Mumbai Shwetambar Jain Sangh, an umbrella body of 37 Jain sanghs in the city. "We formed this sangh for the purpose of coordination. The money is raised and given by various other sanghs in the city.
The sangh was formed for better coordination while repairing and rebuilding temples and for other charitable purposes," said Sudhir Patni, a member of the core committee of Samast Mumbai Shwetambar Jain Sangh. The Rs. 6 crore amount was raised in the same way that the community raises money for temple repairs during the birth celebrations of Tirthankars.
JAIN SAINT
SAVE GANGA AND SAVE HIMALAYAS - ACHARYA LOKESH
New Delhi: Founder of Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni addressing the Save Ganga and Save Himalayas Meeting-cum-Panel Discussion at Gandhi Darsan, Rajghat on the occasion of the 86th Anniversary of Gandhji’s Dandi March said that Ganga symbolizes all rivers and water bodies; Giriraj Himalaya symbolizes all mountains, forests and wildlife; Gandhi symbolizes a culture of Truth and non-violence, i.e. a culture of pursuit of ethical perfection as the ultimate goal of life and pursuit of selfless ethical life of universal love as its means.
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We must take short-term and long-term time-bound course of actions to save the Ganga and the Giriraj Himalayas in the context of the present extremely eco-hostile, inherently unsustainable, out-and-out consumerist global market culture of unlimited desires. Measures should be taken so that An adequate flow of natural fresh water flow on the Ganga bed and the Yamuna bed throughout the stretch of the rivers throughout the year not only to protect and preserve their ecology but also to meet the basic water needs of the habitations on their banks. Acharya Lokesh said that we must not allow our development activities, essentially to satisfy our greed for wealth and lust for luxuries, in the name of development for the common people, to deprive the masses the various invaluable services they have been getting since ages from the Ganga and her tributaries and their source the Himalayas.
On the occasion Regional Head of Chinmaya Mission New Delhi H. H. Swami Nikhilanandaji, Rev Shri DevakinandanThakurji Maharajji from Shanti Sewa Dham Vrindavan, International Ambassador of Sikh Dharma Rev. Bhai Sahib Satpal Singh Khalsa, President of All India Imam Organization Rev. Maulana Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi and other religious leaders together said that Ganga must be constitutionally declared as the National River with statutory provisions that ensure due respect and protection to her, considering her National River status. Source: Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti, E-Mail:
JAIN SADHVI CHANDAN PRABHA TO BECOME MAHA MANDLESHWAR OF JUNA AKHARA
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February 17, 2016: Ujjain: Jain Sadhvi Chandan Prabha, will become Maha Mandleshwar of Juna akhara during the upcoming Simhastha mela. It will be first time a Jain sadhwi will be given title of Maha Mandleshwar by a Sanyasi Akhara. Sadhwi Prabha took blessings of Acharya Pithadhish of Juna Akhara Swami Avadheshananda Giri.Upon her arrival the sanyasis changed her turban make and she was tied with Sanyasi style of turban. Mahant Prem Giri was present on the occasion. Chandan Prabha was originally Chanchala.
Now Chandan Prabha is Acharya of Chandan Parshava Padamavati Mahashakti Peeth. Talking about she said,” I believe in all religions. Lord Mahavir is incarnation of Vishnu of whom we all are creations. The 54-year-old Sadhwi had taken Diksha from Jain seer Acharya Tulsi when she was 19 years old. General Secretary of Juna akhara Mahant Hari Giri had met her in February and had offered her the title. According to the schedule fixed she will be offered her title on May 12, where Swami Avadheshananda will perform her Pattabhisheka and she will become Maha Mandleshwar. After her entitlement a grand function will be observed at Chandan Parshava Padamavati Mahashakti Peeth of Jodhpur. The Sadhwi is planning to spread the glory of goddess Padmawati across the millions.
JAIN SADHVI SMRITI PRAGYA KILLED AS TRUCK HITS HER
March 27, 2016: Raipur: A 62-year-old Jain sadhvi was killed and five others, including two women, were injured as a speeding truck hit them on Mumbai-Kolkata NH-53 in Chhattisgarh's Mahasamund district. Sadhvi Smriti Pragya, who was wheelchair-bound, was heading towards Jharkhand from Mumbai along with other sadhvis and her followers when the incident took place in Chhachhan Pahadi area under Tumgaon police station limits, early morning. A truck hit Sadhvi Pragya leaving her dead on the spot, while two sadhvis, who were pulling the wheelchair, and three other men sustained injuries in the mishap. Those injured were admitted to Tumgaon hospital from where they were shifted to Mahasamund for further treatment. A case has been registered by the Police against the unidentified truck driver and efforts are on to trace the vehicle. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Raman Singh expressed his condolence over the death of Sadhvi Smriti Pragya. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and instructed the officials to ensure quality medical treatment to them.
AWARD AND ACHIEVEMENTS
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ELECTS ANIL JAIN TO NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING
Feb. 9, 2016: Anil Jain, a University Distinguished Professor of computer science and engineering at Michigan State University, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer. He is among 80 new members in the NAE, bringing the total U.S. membership to 2,277. In addition, 22 foreign members will be inducted, bringing the number of foreign members to 233. Anil Jain was selected for his contributions to engineering and practice of biometrics. He is world renowned for biometric recognition, computer vision and fingerprint-matching technology.
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Election to the NAE is among an engineer’s highest honors. The academy honors those who have made outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice, or education, and to the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education.
Anil Jain has also previously served as a member of the Defense Science Board and the National Academies’ panels on Whither Biometrics and Improvised Explosive Devices. His list of honors is extensive. In 2015, he was named a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors for innovative discovery and technology, significant impact on society and support and enhancement of innovation.
He is a recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship, Humboldt Research Award, Fulbright Scholarship, King-Sun Fu Prize and W. Wallace McDowell Award. He is regularly invited to speak at national and internal forums, including the keynote address at the Microsoft Computing in the 21st Century Conference in Beijing in 2014, and at the Royal Society meeting on United Kingdom forensics in London in 2015. He is the fifth MSU faculty member to be elected to the NAE. Jain’s election to the class of 2016 was announced this week by NAE President C.D. (Dan) Mote Jr. The induction ceremony for the NAE Class of 2016 will be Oct. 9 at the NAE annual meeting in Washington, D. C.
SPECIAL COVER ISSUED ON PADMAVIBHUSHAN DR. VEERENDRA HEGGADE
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A special cover was issued at Dharwar (Karnataka) on 6th January 2016 on renowned Jain personality Dr. Veerendra Heggade. Special cover was released in a grand function at Dharwar by Defence Minister of India Shri Manohar Parrikar in the presence of PMG Shri B. P. Sarangi.
The occasion was to honour Shri Veerendra Heggade on facilitation of Padmavibhushan. Function was jointly organized by Lions Club Hubli and Sanskar School Hubli. Source: Sudhir Jain, E-Mail:
GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORD HONOURS MANGI TUNGI ENGINEER
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March 6, 2016: Nashik: Officials from the Guinness Book of World Records will visit Mangi Tungi and to honour and award Mr. C R Patil the engineer of the 108 ft tall Rishabhdeva statue for doing the world's tallest Jain idol. This impressive statue was carved out of a single rock at the height of 2500 ft in Mangi Tungi. A feat that took the designated committee 20 years to complete. The idol was recently consecrated. Swapnil Dangarikar, Adjuratory officer of Guinness World Records arrived at Mangi Tungi to undertake the finale inspection of the idol and hand over the certificate of the world's tallest Jain idol to its engineer and maker C. R. Patil.
Crafted in 184 sq ft one single rock by 150 artists, the idol entered in the Guinness Book as the 'Statue of Non-Violence'. The weight of the idol is 8,712 tonne, height from the base to the hair is 121 ft while the actual idol is 108 ft. The idol was sculpted under the leadership of Jaipur's well known sculpture trio Surajmal Nahta, Mulchand Nahta and Ashish Nahta. Ganini Pramukh Gyanmati Mataji studied up to ten books from Ardhamagadhhi, Sanskrit, Greek, Kannad, Tamil, Telugu, and Pali languages to take out the actual dimensions of the idol. The length and breadth of each limb of the idol was finalised following the references in Jain Vasunandi literature. The idol is carved in Black Besalt rock known for its toughness as well as capacity to last for thousands of years. At present, the 57 ft tall idol of Jain Teerthankar Bahubali is considered as the tallest Jain idol in the world.
MEET VANDANA JAIN, A CULINARY EXPERT AND AWARD WINNING AUTHOR
March 5, 2016: Ms. Vandana Jain specialises in Indian vegetarian cuisine and taken spreading the flavour of India's celebrated kitchens across the world as a mission.
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Vandana Jain is a culinary expert and award winning author from the state of Rajasthan in India, who currently lives in Dubai. Mrs Jain specialises in Indian vegetarian cuisine and taken spreading the flavour of India's celebrated kitchens across the world as a mission. The locals and other diasporas living in the UAE likes to try and taste her nutritious and delicious preparations that frequently appears in the Arabic newspapers, magazines and websites. She shares her culinary expertise through TV and Radio cookery shows regularly.
Vandana Jain has won the International Gourmand World Cook Book Award for her debut cook book Vandana Veggie Creations, known as Oscar of cook books, for the Best Indian Cuisine Cook book of the World at Paris defeating six finalist countries renowned chefs/authors in the presence of 171 countries. She has also won the accolade of the best vegetarian cook book author in UAE. Back at home, she has been conferred with some of the most prominent state civilian awards and honours/esteem titles from Rajasthan Government and various agencies/personalities, especially honour conferred on Indian Republic Day by Governor of Rajasthan and Chief Minister Vasundara Raje in 2016 and "Food ambassador" by Consulate General of India to Dubai. With as much as 42 international cookery awards in her kitty, Vandana has been lauded as an individual who brought pride to traditionally laid-back section of Rajasthani women.
AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION HONOURS BIJOY JAIN'S MPAVILION COMMISSION
New Delhi: February 9, 2016: Acting Australian High Commissioner Chris Elstoft congratulated Indian architect Bijoy Jain for winning the commission by Australia's Naomi Milgrom Foundation to design the third edition of MPavilion.
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An annual design event for Melbourne, MPavilion is a unique architecture commission for the historic Queen Victoria Gardens to house talks, workshops, performances and installations from 5 October 2016 until 5 February 2017. "Bijoy Jain is a fascinating architect, whose designs are known to explore the relationship between landscape and architecture. Bijoy's aesthetic of embracing the natural environment, traditional Indian skills, local techniques and materials, resonates with Australians' love of nature and landscape," Mr. Elstoft said.
Bijoy Jain becomes the third architect to design an MPavilion, following in the footsteps of British architect Amanda Levete (2015) and Australian architect Sean Godsell (2014 inaugural pavilion). Bijoy Jain, founder and principal of Studio Mumbai, said he was honoured to be commissioned to design the next MPavilion in Melbourne. MPavilion is a private-public project funded by the City of Melbourne, the Victorian government and the Naomi Milgrom Foundation. The Naomi Milgrom Foundation was initiated by Australian philanthropist Naomi Milgrom AO to support great design and architecture projects to enrich Australia's cultural life.
CREDIT SUISSE’S ROBERT JAIN MOVES TO MILLENNIUM MANAGEMENT
March 28,2016: New York: The head of Credit Suisse’s $325 billion money management arm is moving for a top job at Israel Englander’s Millennium Management, one of the biggest hedge funds in the world. Robert Jain, global head of Credit Suisse Asset Management, will leave the Swiss bank at the end of June to become Co-Chief Investment Officer at Millennium, alongside Englander.
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Before heading the Swiss bank's investment management arm, Robert Jain was co-head of global securities in Credit Suisse's investment bank, in charge of all global equities business. He joined Credit Suisse in index arbitrage in 1996, after starting his career at O'Connor & Associates as an options trader.
Millennium is one of the 20 biggest hedge funds in the world by assets, and manages about $33 billion. It employs 1,800 people in an unusual but increasingly popular "multi-boutique" model, whereby the central investment committee headed by Mr Englander oversees money allocations to scores of various semi-independent trading teams. The hedge fund parcels out money to 195 different investment teams, all of which run different trading strategies. Under Jain, Credit Suisse's asset management arm has pursued a similar "multi-boutique model" to Millennium. Englander founded Millennium in 1989 and the group has achieved annualised returns of around 14 per cent since its launch. Last year, it returned 12.7 percent after fees.
AN EVENING WITH MADHU JAIN'S UZBEK-INSPIRED LINE
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February 27,2016: Ace designer Madhu Jain, who completes 29 years in the world of fashion, hosted an evening to introduce her spring-summer collection that revolves around the world of Ikat from different parts of the country as well as inspired from around the globe at "Ogaan".
Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi inaugurated the collection. Known as the craft revivalist and textile conservationist, Jain played the perfect host while showcasing her indigenous forms of textile weaving and designs in the form of her brand-new Uzbek-inspired Ikats, alongside a retrospective of her signature Andhra Pradesh and Odisha Ikat styles into which she has infused the Buddhist Mandala design inputs from the textile traditions of Thailand.
There were many well-know faces from the capital who came to be the part of the event including Maneka Gandhi who was spotted going through every outfit very closely. In her nearly three decade long career, Jain has experimented extensively with textiles and continues to innovate to craft unique blends that are characteristically true to her natural fibres label. This spring, she takes the craft to a new level, by introducing the motifs and weaves of Ikat from Uzbekistan into her design repertoire.
CONFERENCES AND EVENTS
HRD MINISTER PLANS RESEARCH CENTRE FOR AYODHYA AT BHU
12 Feb 2016: New Delhi: A team of professors from BHU, Lucknow University and Allahabad University were on a three day field trip to Ayodhya to study its religious and cultural heritage.
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As the lobbying for constructing the Ram Temple at the disputed site at Ayodhya gathers momentum, human resource development ministry is exploring the idea of setting up an International Research and Educational Centre for Ayodhya at the Banaras Hinud University (BHU).
A team of professors from BHU, Lucknow University and Allahabad University were on a three day field trip to Ayodhya to study its religious and cultural heritage. These professors are of the view that Ayodhya can be developed into a city like Venice or Santiago de Compostela. The university scholars are of the view that Ayodhya not just symbolizes Hindutava, but has also a historical connection with Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism and the Sufi cult. The South Korean dynasty also traces its history to the princess of Ayodhya who married the Korean king Kim Suro. In a reply to the letter written by Faizabad M. P. Lallu Singh who wrote to the HRD Minister Smriti Irani for setting up an international research center in Ayodhya. Irani in a reply to Singh in March last year had said that her ministry was weighing the option of setting up a centre at BHU.
“There is a Guru Nanak Dev Centre at Ayodhya. Three Sikh gurus including Guru Nanak, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind have visited Ayodhya in different times. Gautam Buddha also visited the place. Five Jain Tirthankars were born in this town. There are eight small and big sufi dargahs in and around the town,” said Professor Rana PB Singh of BHU. Singh is also the member of several international historical and cultural committees. In the past one year, professors at BHU have also produced several papers on agricultural landscapes and cultural heritage and tourism along Ayodhya- Faizabad corridor. The three member team will now prepare its initial report. Sources in the HRD ministry said that the ministry has already written to BHU. “The BHU will be coordinating with its other state partners and will submit the proposal to the ministry to decide the future course.
JITO CONNECT 2016 TO BE HELD IN PUNE
The forthcoming mega multi event programme of JITO will host the Global Summit, Trade Fair and Jain Pavilion to portray JITO as the strongest platform of Jains. It will be an attempt to bring the community together to march towards not only for economic empowerment but, also in the fields of knowledge empowerment and social upliftment.
JITO CONNECT 2016 is scheduled for 8, 9 & 10 April, 2016 at Pune and being hosted by JITO Pune Chapter. The three days mega event is likely to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Besides, Shri Arun Jaitley, Shri Rajnath Singh, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon'ble, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, Shri Uddhav Thackeray & Shri Sharad Pawar, renowned celebrities like Shri Ratan Tata, Shri Kumar Mangalam Birla, Shri Rajiv Bajaj Mahatria Ra, Yog Guru Baba Ramdev are the expected paticipents and keynote speakers. Shankar-Ehsan-Loy & Troupe will host the musical extravaganza on 9th April evening. Jain Pavilion shall present rich cultural heritage of the community. Organisers expect a footfall of more than 3.50 lac visitors to make it the biggest Networking Platform of Jains.
U S DRAKE UNIVERSITY TO HOLD TALK ON DEATH AND DYING IN JAINISM
February 25, 2016: The Comparison Project at Drake University continues its two-year series on Death and Dying by exploring traditions surrounding death in Jainism.
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Christopher Chapple, the Navin and Pratima Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University, will deliver “Eternal Life, Death, and Dying in Jainism. The free lecture is open to the public and is one of many such events presented by the Comparison Project throughout each academic year.
Chapple will draw on his extensive experience as a scholar of the religions of India to explain the Jain tradition of Sallenkhana (or Santhara). The practice involves a process through which one willingly foregoes food and hydration toward the end of one’s life in order to pass peacefully into a new life. He will give details about the process and the history of Sellenkhana. He will also explore the correlations of this practice with the hospice and “right to die” movements in contemporary America.
Chapple has published twenty books on aspects of Yoga, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, as well as religion and ecology. He serves on the advisory boards of the Ahimsa Center, the Forum on Religion and Ecology, and the International School for Jain Studies.
The Comparison Project is an experimental effort in religiously diverse philosophy of religion. It is generously supported by the Drake University Center for the Humanities, Humanities Iowa, the Medbury Fund, the Drake University Principal Financial Group Center for Global Citizenship, the Des Moines Area Religious Council, Cultivating Compassion: The Dr. Richard Deming Foundation, and The Comparison Project's special series sponsor for its programming on death and dying, Iles Funeral Homes.
1ST RAVINDRA JAIN AWARD HELD IN MUMBAI
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February, 29 2016: Actress turned politician Hema Malini attended the event of Ravindra Jain Academy Award which was held to commemorate late music composer Ravindra Jain’s birthday.
Recalling the music director the ace actress said, “Today is Dada’s birthday and we are celebrating the day with first Ravindra Jain Academy Award. I would like to thank his wife Divya jain who planned for this award. I wish all the very best for the future of this endeavor. I am missing Dada today.
I can’t say how much I can feel his absence. Each year I used to call him on his birthday. He was a great artist”. Eminent personalities from music world like Shiv Kumar Sharma, Hari Prasad Chaurasiya, Suresh Wadkar and Lyricist Yogesh Gaur received the Ravindra Jain Award. Veteran music director Ravindra Jain is known for composing soulful music for films such as Geet Gata Chal, Chitchor, Ram Teri Ganga Maili, Do Jasoos and Henna. Jain passed away October 9 last year.
He was suffering from a kidney complication due to a urinary infection. Jain composed music and written lyrics for more than 150 films in national and regional languages. Due to Jain’s enormous contribution to music, art and literature, the Teerthanker Mahaveer University conferred on him the honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy (DPhils). He was also awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India, in 2015.
MS. INDU JAI & MS. SAVITRI JINDAL PLACED IN FORBES BILLIONAIRES LIST
| Mar 03, 2016: New Delhi: Two Jain women have made it to the Forbes list of world’s richest people in the world, which saw 190 women billionaires. Among the Indian women on the list, Savitri Jindal and family was ranked at the 453rd place on the list with a net worth of $3.5 billion (Rs 23,639 crore at $1 = Rs 67.54). Forbes said that in the past five years, Savitri Jindal’s fortune has declined by close to $10 billion due to a downward slide in shares of her O P Jindal group of companies. Indu Jain, who chairs media conglomerate Bennett, Coleman & Co, was placed at the 549 rank globally. Her net worth stood at $3.1 billion (Rs 20,937 crore).
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JAIN BAL DIKSHA CASE: FOURTH WARRANT ISSUED AGAINST MONK
Mar 2, 2016: Ahmedabad: A magisterial court has issued bailable warrant on fourth occasion against the Jain monk, who had sought eight months' time to walk to Ahmedabad from Kolkata to face criminal prosecution. After three warrants could not be served on Acharya Kirti Yashurishwarji Maharaj on his address in West Bengal furnished to court, complainant Rashmin Shah's counsel Nitin Gandhi urged the court to issue another warrant. He also requested the court to ask the monk's advocate to furnish correct address because earlier warrants could not be served on old address. The monk is one of five persons against whom a complaint was lodged for publishing a forged government notification suggesting that the Centre supports Bal Diksha, the practice of renunciation of the world at a very early age amongst the Jains. When the court first issued warrant against the monk, his lawyer appeared and urged the court to cancel the warrant on the ground that the monk would proceed towards Ahmedabad on foot and it would take eight months for him to appear before the court. Traditionally, Jain monks do not travel in a motorized vehicle. The accused had told the court that his health was not proper and hence he could not walk more than a few kilometres in a day.
SUNITA JAIN'S POETRY COLLECTION "KSHAMA" SELECTED FOR THE VYAS SAMMAN AWARD
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February 26, 2016: New Delhi Well-known Hindi scholar and writer Sunita Jain's poetry collection "Kshama" has been selected for the prestigious Vyas Samman 2015.
Instituted by the K. K. Birla Foundation, the award carries an amount of Rs 2.50 lakh and is given to outstanding literary work in Hindi authored by an Indian citizen.
"Kshama poetry collection by Sunita Jain, a well-known Hindi scholar and writer, has been selected for the 25th Vyas Samman 2015. This book was published in 2008.
INDIAN FARMERS' CHAMPION, BHAVAR LAL JAIN, DIES AT 78
February 26, 2016: Bhavarlal Jain, founder of pioneering micro-irrigation firm Jain Irrigation Systems, died after a brief illness in Mumbai. Jain, who owned 30% in the Bombay Stock Exchange listed firm, had featured among India’s richest in 2010 with a fortune of more than $600 million. The second-largest micro-irrigation company in the world, Jain Irrigation has revenues of over $1 billion, 30 factories and supplies to 116 countries. The patriarch was the subject of a Forbes Asia cover story back in 2008.
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Known as “Bhau” or big brother, Jain was born in 1937 in a village in Maharashtra’s rural heartland to a family of famers and petty traders. Having bolder ambitions, he moved to what was then Bombay to study commerce and law, after which he prepared to join the civil service. But his mother, who never went to school and had lost nine children before Jain was born, urged him to do something that would help the cattle and birds.
Jain began trading in agricultural products–tractors, fertilizers, seeds and pesticides. He stumbled into his niche when he saw a drip irrigation system in 1985 at an agricultural trade show in Fresno, California and decided to start making them in India, targeting small farmers. His first attempts to procure the technology from Israel were futile as no one was willing to partner him. He persuaded James Hardie Irrigation of Australia to license its technology, but it took him more than a year to convince India’s hidebound bureaucracy to let him acquire the know-how.
It was a tough sell to India’s marginal farmers who could ill afford the $400-per-acre cost of the system. But with a timely government subsidy and the slogan “More crop per drop”, which underscored the higher yields farmers could get with less water, Jain made headway. So far it has reached 4.5 million farmers.
Emboldened the company expanded into fertilizers, plastic sheets, food processing and solar water heaters. In 1994 it raised $30 million on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, using it for a slew of new ventures, including merchant banking, granite quarrying, software and telecom. All of these failed and the company almost went under. A timely bailout by a private equity firm helped put Jain Irrigation back on track.
Jain, who described himself as a dreamer, had long handed over charge of operations to his four sons. The family lived together in a house in Jain Hills, Jalgaon, headquarters of his business group. The 1,000 acre campus, converted from virtually barren land to a verdant landscape, is testimony to what micro-irrigation can achieve. It includes an agricultural institute to train farmers on the latest techniques of farming and irrigation.
A staunch Gandhian, Jain was always dressed in white and ate only home-cooked vegetarian food. Despite seven heart attacks, two bypass surgeries and a stroke, Jain never stopped working and was always full of ideas for new projects. His days began with a morning walk to the highest point of Jain Hills, where he mediated and did yoga. He was often accompanied by his grandchildren and company executives.
Jain set up schools, including one for underprivileged children and the Gandhi Research Foundation in Jalgaon, devoting a chunk of his time to these pet projects. A prolific author, the book closest to his heart was “Tee ani Mee” written in his native Marathi about his life with his late wife.
In the company’s 2015 Annual Report, Jain outlined his business purpose: My religion, my simple, middle class agrarian background..have ingrained in me values, which guided me by instinct to do good for others and wait for a little while for something good to happen. I have never been disappointed!” The son of the soil was cremated, with state honors, in his native Jalgaon.
VICE ADM ATUL KUMAR JAIN TAKES OVER AS THE CHIEF OF STAFF, ENC
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February 29, 2016: Visakhapatnam: Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain took over as the Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command (ENC) from Vice Admiral Bimal Verma. An alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa and Pune-based National Defence Academy and other defence institutes, Jain has held various operational, staff and command appointments, a ENC release said today. Jain was commissioned in the Indian Navy in 1982. Post specialisation in Gunnery and Missile Warfare, he held appointments as Gunnery Officer of missile destroyers, IN Ships Ranvijay and Ranvir, it said.
His noteworthy afloat appointments include command of missile corvettes Nirghat, Khukri, missile destroyer INS Rajput and indigenously built stealth destroyer INS Mysore. The flag-officer was also the commissioning Executive Officer of INS Brahmaputra and the Fleet Operations Officer of the Eastern Fleet here, the release added. Amongst ashore appointments, Jain has been the Director Naval Intelligence (Protocol), Director Foreign Liaison and Principal Director Staff Requirement at Integrated Headquarters.
A recipient of Vishisht Seva Medal and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2015, he was appointed as the first Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval Area, Karwar. Thereafter, Jain took over command of the prestigious Eastern Fleet and also served as Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command. On promotion to the rank of Vice Admiral, he was holding the appointment of the Controller Personnel Services at Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy) prior to taking over as the Chief of Staff, ENC.
BOOKS ON JAINISM
Sanmatitarka Prakarana : Prakrit text + Sanskrit Gloss + Hindi Commentary, An exhaustive Hindi commentary on Acharya Siddhasena Divakara's ‘SANMATI-TARKA’ by Acarya Jayasundara Suri. Price for set of 5 books Rs. 3000. Acharya Siddhasena Divakara, a Jain ascetic accepted by both traditions of Jainism - the Digambaras and the Shvetambaras, lived in the early years of the Common Era. He was believed to be the teacher of King Vikramaditya on whom the Vikrama Samvat calendar is based.Acarya Siddhasena Divakara was a profound thinker and logician. One of his most important work, the SANMATI- TARKA occupies a place of honour amongst in Indian philosophy and formal logic. It is the only Indian work on formal logic to be composed in Prakrit.
Sanmatitarka: is a key Jain text for the exposition of syādvāda {doctrine of multi-sidedness}, anekāntavāda {the multiplicity of reality}, and the seven viewpoints, shedding light on the epistemology and ontology behind Jainism's syādvāda.
For the first time, this entire work has been made accessible to all through this exhaustive Hindi commentary composed by Acarya Jayasundara suri who spent over 31 years composing this extraordinarily detailed and elaborate Hindi commentary. This can be obtained from:Hindi Granth Karyalaya, Email:
MISCELLANEOUS
SANJAY BHANDARI, A CANCER PATIENT ON SANTHARA IN PUNE
After the Supreme Court last year stayed the order of the Rajasthan High Court, declaring Santhara illegal, a latest case has surfaced in Taoji Nagar area of Wadgaon Sheri. Hundreds of people are flocking to the residence of a 55-year-old terminally-ill cancer patient who has been on Santhara.
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Sanjay Bhandari was diagnosed with cancer of the food-pipe three years ago and was declared terminally ill a few days ago. His family said Sanjay Bhandari decided to go on Santhara on his own volition. According to his son Sagar, “My father has been fighting with cancer for over three years. He has undergone an operation and chemotherapy. He was tired of making rounds of the hospitals and taking medicines regularly. Therefore, he decided to go on Santhara on his own and nobody forced him.” According to Sagar, his father has been drinking two spoons of water, every one hour, for the last few days. Through the day, he drinks just over a glass of water and nothing else.
He added that his father’s health had even showed some improvement. His kidneys are functioning normally. Earlier, he was not being able to urinate. Now his urine output is normal and so are his motions. There was water leakage from his lungs, earlier, which too has stopped. His blood pressure has stabilized. Sagar said his father did not seem to be in any pain now, which he regularly complained of before going on Santhara. He lies on the cot through the day, gestures or smiles at times…he seems to be at peace with himself. Every day, there are scores of people from Pune and beyond who visit with folded hands before my father to seek his blessings.
SANGAM CITY SAFEGUARDS RARE 'AGAMAS' OF JAINISM
April 3, 2015, Allahabad: Sangam City is a proud custodian of rare manuscript of a scripture related to 'Agamas' or 'shastra' of Jainism based on Lord Mahavir's teachings. A few of its verses are even coated with gold. The script of this rare invaluable manuscript is yet to be deciphered. Experts believe that the text could be in the oldest spoken language of 'Prakrit'. However, few others believe that the script could also either be Sanskrit, Oriya or Bengali.
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The manuscript, currently in the possession of state's only Government Manuscript Library, has remained out of public eyes owing to paucity of fund. For record sake, the library has been safeguarding the manuscript for the last 55 years. Due to lack of proper conservation and preservation technique, several lines of 'verses in gold' faded away in 1987. Later, the then officials re-wrote the missing part with yellow ink. Currently, the regional archive officer has the additional charge of the library owing to absence of experts. Highlighting the importance of 'Agamas', former dean of Allahabad University and an expert in Jain literature, PC Jain said: "Earlier teachings of Lord Mahavir were passed on by his disciples by word of mouth owing to absence of writing technique. Over 500 years after the Nirvana of Lord Mahavir, some disciples led by seer Pushpdant started compiling Lord's teachings in taadpatra (palm leaves) at a place, around 35-kms from Mangalore in Karnataka."
STUDENTS OF UK COLLEGE USE CROWD FUNDING TO SAVE 'JAIN LANGUAGE
March 28, 2016: Mumbai: Students of the prestigious School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, through a crowd funding campaign, have managed to save Prakrit classes from being discontinued for the 2016-2017 academic year. SOAS is the only college in the UK to offer the course. Prakrit, like Sanskrit, is no longer spoken. Scholars of Jainism say Mahavira used to speak a version of it and so it dates back to at least the sixth century BC. The study of this ancient language is essential to read Jain scriptures and texts. It is also mandatory for students of Buddhism for the same reason.
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SOAS students had put out a crowd funding initiative on the university's website, with a target to generate £3,500 to meet the administrative cost of the course. The teacher is an unpaid volunteer. The campaign ended with a collection of £3,701 from 30 sponsors, enough to let Prakrit classes run at SOAS for another year. Peter Flugel, Chair of the centre of Jaina studies, the SOAS department that runs the course, said, "SOAS students are permitted to crowd fund for specific purposes that are beneficial for the student body. The Prakrit class size for the course ranges between one and eight; the school decided to cull courses where student strength was less than 10.
Specialized classes which always will have few students specializing in a subjects are bound to fall by the wayside, and expertise will be lost for generations if nothing is done to find external support for keeping small classes funded. SOAS terminated the course in 2010 due to austerity measures and was initially funded by Dr Renate Soehnen-Thieme in memory of her deceased husband Paul Thieme, a Sanskrit scholar. Private donations, varying from year to year, of single individuals or several individuals contacted by the chair of the centre, had kept the course afloat till the crowd funding route to raise funds now.
Samani Pratibha Pragya, a Jain monk who is a PhD student at SOAS, said that, learning Prakrit is essential for someone who wants to connect with Jain religion, history, philosophy and any other branch of knowledge related to Jainism. "Through this language one can feel the richness of knowledge in Jainism. Truly, Prakrit is a medium to connect with a centuries old treasure house." Even in India, very few institutions teach Prakrit. Yatin Shah, trustee of Hemchandra Acharya Gyan Mandir, said, "Education is no longer pursued for its own sake. All education is linked to employment." Across Gujarat, Prakrit was offered in several universities about 25 years ago. But dipping enrolment forced many institutions to shut down the courses.Merely six colleges in Gujarat now offer Prakrit. "There too, student numbers are less than the class capacity; in all, 50-55 candidates sign up for Prakrit," said Shah. His trust annually conducts several seminars and awareness drives coaxing students to join the course and keep the language alive.
EX-MINISTER SURESH JAIN TO FACE CHARGES
March 22, 2016: Pune: A magisterial court in the city will frame charges against former minister Suresh Jain in a criminal defamation suit filed in 2003 by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare.
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In an order issued on March 19, judicial magistrate first class Shital S Bangad said, "There is sufficient material to proceed against the accused (Jain) and prima facie the ingredients of an offence punishable under Section 499 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code are applicable to the case." Jain, who is serving a prison term following his conviction in the Jalgaon housing scam, had addressed a couple of press conferences in May 2003 accusing Hazare of being corrupt and of having committed improprieties in the Hind Swaraj Trust run by the veteran activist. The allegations levelled by Jain were widely reported by the media in Pune and Mumbai, prompting Hazare to issue a legal notice to Jain on May 26, 2003. The former minister replied to the legal notice on June 12, 2003, following which Hazare filed the defamation suit in a court in Pune.
SHATRUNJAY AADINATH MAHIMA MAHOTSAV TO BE CELEBRATED AT PALITANA
March 15, 2016: Ahmeedabad: Palitana will see a massive confluence of Jain saints at the revered Shatrunjay Giriraj Mahatirth on March 21 to celebrate one of the most auspicious days as per Jain belief. The Jain community will be organizing a three-day extravaganza called the 'Shatrunjay Aadinath Mahima Mahotsav'.
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This event will be attended by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on March 21 along with ministers Saurabh Patel, Vijay Rupani and others. Manshukh Mandaviya (Member of Parliament) and Mahendra Trivedi, Chairman - Gujarat Pavitra Vikas Yatradham Board will also grace the function. Ceremony will witness the presence of thousands of Jain venerable saints along with their disciples.
During the three day mega-event, beginning from March 20 to March 22, 2016, the history, glory and the sanctity of the Shatrunjay Giriraj Hill will be depicted in myriad forms.
READERS RESPONSE
APEX JAIN INSTITUTION IN CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS
Amendment of the constitution of the institution should not be a concern or sore point so long it addresses the present and near future need of the hour. Therefore, we must explore and debate on what is the present need of the community. In my opinion the need of the hour is spreading and facilitating in implementation of Principles of Jain Religion from which we seem to have deflecting. Though different Jain saints do talk of non-violence, non-ttachment, truth and sometimes celibacy in the name of Jain Religion but does it carry any material effect of people at large? Many saints support idea of construction of a big temple or other structure/ monument which is then dedicated to that Muni but how does it turn and improve the living style of the people towards path of liberation? All do talk of purity and alignment of Mind, Speech and Body but still Digamber Jains utter words 'Pushpam Nirvpamati Swaha' but offer 'yellow colored Rice Grains'. True that Flowers being source of life should not be offered but they do not have courage to amend their books accordingly. Accordingly this land in possession of the institution could be used for Research or Propagation of true principles of Jain Religion in true sense and effectively. Tripti Jain: Email:
LUDHIANA-BASED BIZ TYCOON ABHEY OSWAL DIES AT 67
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City-based industrialist Abhey Oswal died in Moscow on 29 March, 2016 following a cardiac arrest. Oswal, 67, had gone to a research centre at the Russian capital to launch some medicines developed by his company. The body was brought to Delhi. Many industrialists & others attended the cremation.
Oswal had undergone a bypass surgery around eight years ago. He is survived by wife Aruna Oswal, two sons Pankaj Oswal, Shailendra Oswal and daughter Shalu Jindal. Shalu is married to former MP and Haryana industrialist Navin Jindal. Son of late Lala Vidya Sagar Oswal and brother of leading industrialists Jawahar Oswal, Jangi Lal Oswal and Neelam Oswal, Abhey owned Oswal Agro Mills Limited and Oswal Green Tech. Originally from Ludhiana, Oswal moved to Delhi in 1990. Currently, he oversaw work of Mohan Dai Oswal Cancer Hospital in Ludhiana.