YJA Convention 2016 07 Los Angeles CA

Author(s): Young Jains of America (YJA)
Publisher: Young Jains of America YJA USA
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/527622/1

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YJA__ 2016
AGENTS OF CHANGE

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Jain Center of Southern California
CONGRATULATION & BEST WISHES TO
"YJA"
YOUNG JAINS OF
AMERICA
FROM
THE JAIN CENTER OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BUENA PARK (LOS ANGELES) CA
8032 Commonwealth Avenue, Buena Parle, CA 92621
PH: 714-523-5246 www.jalncenter.org

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NAMOKAR MANTRA
Ņamo arihantāņam I bow to the arihants, destroyers of their inner
enemies.
Ņamā siddhāṇaḥ I bow to the siddhas, the liberated souls.
Ņamo āyariyāņam I bow to the acharyas, the religious leaders.
Ņamo uvajjhāyāṇam I bow to the upadhyays, the religious teachers.
Ņamo lõē savva sāhūņam I bow to all the sadhus and sadhvis, those who have renounced the worldly life
and follow a path of simplicity.
णमो अरिहंताणं णमो सिद्धाणं णमो आयरियाणं णमो उवज्झायाणं णमो लोए सव्व साहूणं एसोपंचणमोक्कारो, सव्वपावप्पणासणो मंगला णं च सव्वेसिं पडमम हवई मंगलं
Ēsāpañchaņamākkārō, This five-fold bow (mantra)
savvapāvappaņāsaņo Destroys all sins and obstacles, Mangalā ņam ca savvēsim, And of all auspicious mantras, padamama havai mangalam Is the first and foremost one.
With these blessings,
we invite you to begin your journey together as Agents of Change! -In memory of Yash Mitul Shah 11.19.99 - 6.5.16 ~
AGENTS OF CHANGE

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Convention Schedule.............
Hotel Maps.................
Introduction and Welcome Letters
YJA Elections.
25th Anniversary
Agents of Change Essay Contest Winners.
Jain Academic Bowl, Jains in Action
Keynote, Session and Suite Sponsors.
Sessions and Descriptions
Speaker Biographies
Sponsors and Donors
Special Thanks
YJA Executive Board, Convention Committee Bios ...........
Sub-Committee Members
3
4
5-7
9
17
18-20
21
22
.28-41
.42-55
64
65
66-70
71
2016 YJA CONVENTION | LOS ANGELES, CA

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CONVENTION SCHEDULE
Friday July 1st, 2016 - Day One 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM On-Site Registration - Century Pre-Function 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM M .E.L.A. - Gateway Ballroom/Foyer, & 2nd Floor 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Dinner - California Ballroom 8:30 PM - 11:00 PM Opening Ceremonies & Decades of Bollywood - Grand Ballroom 11:00 PM - 12:15 AM Bollywood Bash HS/COL Mixer - California Ballroom 11:00 PM - 12:45 AM Agents of Shield JNF Mixer - Santa Catalina/Clemente - 3rd Floor
Saturday July 2nd, 2016 - Day Two 6:30 AM – 7:30 AM English Pratikraman - Salon 115 & Yoga - Gateway Foyer 6:30 AM - 8:30 AM Breakfast - California Ballroom 9:00 AM - 10:50 AM Sessions Breakout - Please refer to your registered schedule 11:00 AM - 11:50 AM Keynote by Houston Kraft - Grand Ballroom 12:00 PM - 1:50 PM Lunch - California Ballroom 2:00 PM - 4:50 PM Sessions Breakout 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM Rec. Hour (Kutchi Reunion - Salon 205), Change for Straight Outta Gujarat 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM Dinner - California Ballroom 8:30 PM- 12:30 AM Straight Outta Gujarat - Grand Ballroom 12:30 AM - 1:30 AM West Coast Best Coast Mixer - California Ballroom
Pacific Coast Party JNF Mixer - Gateway Ballroom
Sunday July 3rd, 2016 - Day Three 6:30 AM - 7:30 AM English Pratikraman - Salon 115 & Yoga - Gateway Foyer 6:30 AM - 8:30 AM Breakfast - California Ballroom 9:00 AM - 10:50 AM Sessions Breakout - Please refer to your registered schedule 11:00 AM - 11:50 AM JAB/JIA Finals - Grand Ballroom 12:00 PM - 1:50 PM Lunch - California Ballroom 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM JNF Community Service Event - Century Pre-Function 2:00 PM - 4:50 PM Sessions Breakout 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM Rec. Hour, & Change for Maharaja's Court Formal 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM Dinner - California Ballroom
JNF Formal Dinner - Santa Catalina/Clemente 8:30 PM - 9:00 PM Convention Group Photo - Grand Ballroom 9:00 PM - 2:00 AM Maharaja's Court Formal - Grand Ballroom 2:00 AM - Onward All Night Slumber Party - Grand Ballroom
Monday July 4th, 2016 - Day Four 6:30 AM - 7:30 AM English Pratikraman - Salon 115 & Yoga - Gateway Foyer 6:30 AM - 8:30 AM Breakfast - California Ballroom 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Closing Ceremonies - Grand Ballroom 12:00 PM
Check out/Good-Byes/Shuttle to LAX *runs every 10 - 15 minutes* *Schedule is subject to change during the convention by the discretion of YJA Board*
M
3
AGENTS OF CHANGE

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HOTEL MAPS
Meals
POOL
The Brasserie
2
Restroom
Rendezvous
Dar
Friday Dinner | Italian
Saturday
Breakfast Sponsored by JAINA
Lunch Mexican Sponsored by Mukesh and Priti Chatter
Dinner | Mediterranean
Conca
Paparan
Front Dine/Veiet Man Lobby
Dlevatore
First Floor
Rest
Gabay
Hermosa
Rey Rome
Lag na
California
Orand dom
Foyer
Curcury Prelunction
Estatas
Sunday
Breakfast Sponsored by Mahesh Wadher
Lunch | All-American Sponsored by Wellness Program
Dinner | Indian Sponsored by Jain Center
of Southern California
Frederde
Second Floor
Escalators
Monday
Breakfast Sponsored by Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington
Elevators
Board room
202
201
210
Seminar Room
Third Floor
204
206
205
Guest Rooms
San Clemente
Santa Catalina
Santa Santa Cruz Rosa
Escalators
Elevators
Guest Rooms
Guest Rooms
2016 YJA CONVENTION LOS ANGELES, CA

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Young Jains of America Young Jains: Agents of Change
The 12th Biennial Convention In Partnership with the Jain Center of Southern California
www.vja.org
2016
AGENTS OF CHANGE
YOUNG JANs or Avika
Jai Jinendra,
As we gather together in Los Angeles for our 12th Biennial Convention, we shall reflect upon how far YJA has come. In July of 1991, a group of young Jains established a vision to raise awareness about their religion and connect youth who ascribe towards living nonviolently. The platform they created developed over the years, and today, exactly 25 years later, we proudly celebrate how much our network has grown at a national level.
Some of our many initiatives have included publishing our magazine Young Minds in 1993, holding our first convention in 1994, sending volunteers to needy places in 2002, organizing the first "YJA National Service Day" in 2010, supporting JAINA's "World Compassion and Vegan Day" in 2014, and much more. During the 2015-2016 term, we have continued to give the Jain youth community opportunities to network, learn, and reflect through our College Chapters Project, YJA Forums webpage, and several local/regional events.
Our biennial conventions have served as a way to share insight into what it takes to achieve spiritual success in today's modernized world. With the 2016 YJA Convention theme, Young Jains: Agents of Change, our attendees will come to understand that in addition to being catalysts for change within their own lives, they have the power to create positive change in the world around them via Jain principles.
Through initiatives never done before, our team has organized unique activities for all attendees. Whether or not this is your first YJA convention, you will find new ways to implement Jainism in your everyday life. After this weekend, you will have the tools needed to promote social justice and a desire to become an agent of change!
We would like to thank our Board of Trustees, the JAINA Executive Committee, the Jain Center of Southern California, our donors, and the many volunteers who have helped us with our efforts. Planning for this convention could not have been possible without our mentors. Thank you for the support!
Sincerely, Your 2016 Young Jains of America Convention Committee
Chairpersons Akash Shah Amit Shah
Puja Savla Sunny Dharod chairs.la@yja.org
Adult Volunteer Committee Leads Diyaanka Jhaveri
Tina Lapsia
Urvashi Jain volunteer.layia.org
Daytime Programming Committee Leads
Chintav Shah Kayuri Shah Mahima Shah daytime.la@viar
Fundraising Committee Leads
Paras Savla Poojan Mehta
Ravi Doshi fundraisinslaaviary
Hospitality Committee Leads
Simmi Nandu Vashali Jain
Umang Lathia hospitality.layia.org
Jain Networking Forum Committee
Leads Neelam Savla Shrenik Shah infla@vja.org
Public Relations Registration
Security
Site Committee Social Committee Souvenirs Committee Leads Committee Leads Committee Leads
Leads
Leads
Committee Leads Juhi Hegde
Avish Jain Dharmi Shah
Adit Shah
Mitesh Bhalani Hetali Lodaya Manan Jobalia Nilesh Dagli
Paras Savia Mihir Shah Monica Vora
Kinari Shah Virag Vora Pujen Solanki Saejal Chatter
Mishi Jain Rea Savia
Pankti Gala la via.org registration.laya.org Segitlaaviar site.lawia.org socialdaia.org Souvenirs.lavia.org Young Jains of America (VJA) is an umbrella youth organization of the Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA) a Non-Profit Tax Exempt
Religious Organization. IRS Code Section 501(c)(3) El #54-1280028.
AGENTS OF CHANGE

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"To Preserve and Share Jain Philosophy and Way of Life"
JAINA
Federation of Jain Associations in North America Live and Help Live
JAINA Headquarters: 722 S Main Street, Milpitas, CA 95035 USA: (510) 730-0204, www.jaina.org | info@jaina.org JAINA
President Ashok Domadia Fremont, CA
Jai Jinendra! (510) 979-9312 ashokdomadia 2009@gmail.com
On behalf of JAINA Executive Committee (EC) and JAINA Board of Directors (BOD), I First Vice President welcome you to YJA Convention 2016 in Los Angeles.
Gunvant Shah N. Brunswick, NJ (732) 253-7049
The theme of this year's convention is Young Jains: Agents of Change. I am proud that profgaryshah@gmail.com
YJA Convention theme has evolved over the years, and so has the Young Jains of America Secretary
(YJA). From self-awakening to bringing change in society, these agents of change - YOUShobha Vora San Jose, CA
have come a long way. You are the foundation on which future generations will build the (408) 833-8822 shvora2010@gmail.com
society. I congratulate YJA team, who is organizing this amazing YJA Convention with tremendous efforts and
great team work! I have been impressed with the YJA Convention Board and the team with meticulous Treasurer Rita Sheth
planning, perfect execution, timely follow-up, record fund raising and above all humility in carrying out this Tulsa, OK (918) 398-6024
monumental effort. jainatreasurer1@gmail.com V.P.- Canada
Increased Youth involvement is the highest priority set by JAINA EC for 2016-2017. JAINA promotes and Raj Patil Toronto, CANADA
supports youth activities in various ways, such as: (905) 792-8655 drpatil@hotmail.com
► JAINA Summer Internship allows U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to work with other V.P. - Mideast
service-based community organizations in a start-up environment. Prakash Mehta
Oak Hill, VA (571) 331-1851
► JAINA organizes Jain Milan twice a year in different locations to encourage Jain Youths find potential Pmehta 1851@gmail.com
life partner within our community. V.P. - Midwest Hemant T. Shah
New: Jain Youth Exchange Program provides opportunity for Youths to meet other Youths and Carol Stream, IL (630) 933-8311
successful Entrepreneurs in India. It also allows experience of new cultures in Youth-only environment, thus hemantil@yahoo.com planting the seeds for a lifetime of international understanding and friends.
V.P. - Northeast Mamta Shaha Great Neck, NY
(516) 410-8589 mamta.shaha@gmail.com
JAINA has established liaison with academic institutions in North America that are promoting the study, teaching and research in the principles, philosophy, culture and history of Jain Dharma.
V.P. - Southeast Rajendra Mehta Longwood, FL
(407) 376-1073 rajkumud@hotmail.com
► Academic Scholarship Program for Jain youths helps needy Youths to attend an institution of higher learning where youths can develop her/his skills and talents, and eventually make the community, country and world a better place.
▸ Mentorship Program for Youths facilitate dynamic mentor-mentee relationships with successful mentors that address the issues like career, education, religion, community development etc.
V.P. - Southwest Pradeep Shah
Dallas, TX (214) 621-8762 pshah972@gmail.com
JAINA, as always, will continue to support and motivate our precious Agents of Change - YOU - in sharing Jain heritage and religion among the youths and eventually passing on to the next generation. Best wishes for the successful networking, educational and fun-filled weekend during our YJA Convention 2016!
V.P. - West Mahesh Wadher
Corona, CA
(909) 376-4027 mahesh.wadher@gmail.com
Sincerely,
YJA Puja Savla Los Angeles, CA Puja.savla@yja.org
Ashok Domadia JAINA President
Sunny Dharod
Detroit, MI Sunny.dharod@yja.org
Past President
Prem Jain Fremont, CA
(408) 981-4645 premjain 1@gmail.com
Founded 1981, UN NGO, A Non-Profit Tax Exempt Religious Organization 501(c)(3) El # 54-1280028
2016 YJA CONVENTION LOS ANGELES, CA

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Jain Center of Southern California
8072 Commonwealth Avenue Mailing Address: P.O. Box 549 Buena Park, California 90621-0549
Phone: (714) 670-0890 A Non-Profit California Corporation
federal ID #33-0612037
July 2016
Jai Jinendra,
Welcome to Los Angeles, a city of thousand dreams and aspirations. It is also the location of the first ever Jain Temple built from the ground up in North America. We are extremely proud of our Jain Center, home to the one and only, unique, amazing, beautiful, historical piece of the Jain Art 'The Famed Wooden Temple Replica', a gorgeous temple complex, home of the extensive JAINA Library, and a hub for a very vibrant Jain Community. I invite each and every one of you to visit during your current and future visits.
You may already know that Los Angeles is also the Birthplace of JAINA and site of its first convention. Our Jain Center has always been very supportive of the younger generations participation. Its youth wing named 'JAYA' (Jain Association of Young Adults) started 20+ years ago, and it is still very active and thriving.
The Jain Center started its religious classes for the young generation more than 25 years ago. Our Jain Center has one of the largest educational programs, with approx. 400 Students of High School age or younger, approx. 50 + young adults and over 100 adults, along with 100+ teachers, volunteers and administrators. Our Jain Center has also been working with various local main stream universities to offer Jainism courses.
I can continue on and on - I feel like the biggest cheerleader of our Sangh serving my 5th year as Jain Center President. However, I want to talk to you about you. How fortunate you are to have been born as a Jain here in USA, inheriting the Jain religion, Indian Culture and the best of what both East and West have to offer. Growing up in small village in India, I hardly had any opportunity to learn much about Jainism and what a wonderful a religion it is, with the answers for every one of world's problems. However, we Jains have not done a good job of spreading information and knowledge about Jainism. Most of our community, particularly in India, have been too busy earning money and comforts of life to learn, value, and spread the wisdom of our religion. Jainism does not believe in converting non-Jains. Instead, it teaches that every good human being who follows core moral values is already Jain. Every good person is Jain, and not every person born in a Jain family may be a good person and therefore be a Jain. One's behavior makes one Jain, and not one's birth.
Due to thousands of years of neglect, our community is now less than 1 percent of India's population. The entire Jain Population of the world could easily be populated in one of the mega-cities of the world. However, there is a bright ray of hope particularly in USA. The Jains here are better educated, informed, knowledgeable and active. It is a vibrant community, which has built a number of temples and organizations and is involved in numerous educational, charitable and cultural causes. You have an opportunity to take this torch even further by engaging in various noble causes with out-of-the-box approaches. You are limited only by your own imagination.
I wish you a very wonderful experience in the YJA Convention.
Thanks,
Virendra Shah/President Jain Center of Southern California, Buena Park, CA
AGENTS OF CHANGE

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AGENTS OF CHANGE
See what some YJA Board Members have to say about what makes them Agents of Change!
Al lead by
Example
How are you an Agent of Change?
I drive a
How are you an Agent of Change?
HYBRID
-Urvashi
am pursuing a tener w
How are you an Agent of Change?
How are you an Agent of Change?
cm HARDCORE Fans
How are you an Agent of Change?
I raise money for underprivilet
dren in India
a
Valu
With
YJAS
How are you an Agent of Change?
How are you an Agent of Change?
How are you an Agent of Change?
2016 YJA CONVENTION | LOS ANGELES, CA

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YJA BOARD ELECTIONS
YJA 2015-2016 EXECUTIVE BOARD
Å YOUNG ANS OF AMERICA
YOUNG JANS OF AMERICA
Apply for the 2016-2017 Executive Board!
Be one of sixteen youth from around the nation to make a difference in your local and national Jain community. For more information on each position, please make sure to visit yja.org/elections or e-mail us directly at elections@yja.org - we're here to help!
Serving on the Executive Board is an experience of a lifetime and something everyone should consider.
Deadlines to submit applications: August 1, 2016 11:59pm EST I Co-Chairs August 8, 2016 11:59pm EST I Directors/Regional Coordinators
YOUNG JAINS OF AMERICA
AGENTS OF CHANGE

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Jai Jinendra
Congratulations to the YJA Executive committee, board members, and volunteers whose tireless efforts made this convention possible. We
truly admire your commitment and your hard work!
सत्वेषु मैत्री गुणिषु प्रमोदं , क्लिष्टेषु जीवेषु कृपापरत्वम् ।
माध्यस्थभावं विपरीतवृतौ, सदा ममात्मा बिदधातु देव ।।
- भावनाव्दात्रिंशतिका By Acharya Shri Amitgati Swami
Translation:
May I maintain friendship towards all living beings; May I display exalted happiness towards virtuous people.
May I show compassion for those in grief,
May I maintain equanimity in adversity. Let my soul be always blessed with these qualities.
हतं ज्ञानं क्रिया हीनं हताचाज्ञानिना क्रिया।
धावन् किलांधको दग्धः, पश्यन्नपि न पंगुलः ।।
-Ancient Jain Scripture Acharya Unknown
Translation:
Knowledge without action does not last and action without knowledge is useless.
Just as a blind cannot escape from a burning forest despite his actions and a handicapped cannot escape the fire despite his ability to see the danger.
With best wishes, Mukesh & Priti Chatter
Concord, Massachusetts 2016 YJA CONVENTION | LOS ANGELES, CA
de

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In Loving Memory of Lt. Smt. Anjwalibenbaa Jayantilal Dagli
Best Wishes to the 2016 YJA Convention Committee on Hosting A Successful Convention
Ajay, Nilesh, Sunita & Dinesh Dagli
Congratulations to the 2016 Convention Board and YJA's 25th anniversary! We wish you all the very best!
AGENTS OF CHANGE
With love from Divyesh, Jaya, Chintav and Mahima Shah
Best wishes for a successful 2016 YJA Convention and to
the participants for becoming the change they wish to see in the world.
JAI JINENDRA
SORRY IS DON
From Kishor, Ila, Parag, Hersh and Rachana Parekh."
11

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Best wishes for the 2016 YJA Convention!
Shaha Family Salutes YJA 2016 Agents of Change
Congratulations to the YJA Board | and Convention Committee for
all your hard work!
"I can give my best to others when I am in touch with the
best in myself.“
With best wishes, Drs. Mamta, Ashok, Ashish and
Manish Shaha
Neelam, Puja & Lata Jayesh Savla
Northridge, CA
Get Ready
a
AGENTS OF
CHANGE Congratulations All the Leaders, Board Members and Attendees
Plan
Guiding Principles Youth-Adult Partnerships
Community Assets Individual Gifts
Teamwork Reflection
Sustain
Compliments
Dave Shah Haresh Swati Shah
Implement
Wilmington, DE
2016 YJA CONVENTION | LOS ANGELES, CA

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Congratulations and THANKS to YJA Convention Board and all the Volunteers for their selfless service to make this an amazing YJA Convention 2016!
Ashok Domadia JAINA President
Jain Society of Houston
Proudly Supports the 2016 YJA Convention To learn more about our future mandir and relocation project,
visit www.jainsocietyhouston.org
AGENTS OF CHANGE

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Jan Society of Metropolitan Chicago
Servigre M est Carmurdy berrich their jousel Chraf andechceteraiexpere
for dog a Jan Mayofle
OXXO ze
435 N. Route 59. Bartlett, IL 60173 Phone: (630) 837.1077 Website: www.smconline.org Innovative service Dial-Waanolk & Pachchhan: 1-630-213-JSMC
1800+ Life Members 466+ Pathshala Students
ReSSISCP
Congratulations & Best Wishes to the YJA Convention 2016 at Los Angeles, CA
Board of Trustees
Chairman - Dr. Mukesh Doshi Van Shah Al Shuth Himanshu Jain Hitesh R. Shah Jignesh Surendra Shah
Executive Committee
President - Vipul Shah Vice-President- Sunil Jain Secretary - Piyush Gandhi Jt. Secretary-Jagat Shah Treasurer - Suni F. Shah Jt. Treasurer - Dinesh Shah Membership Secretary - Pragnesh Shah Education Secretary-Darshana Shaly Religious Secretary - Himesh Jhaveri Facility Secretary - Hitesh A Shah Youth Secretary - Meghna Shah
Food Secretary-Dilip Shah J. Food Secretary - Upendra Dalal
Best Wishes to YJA 2016 Convention
From Current and Future members of YJA at
Jain Center of Greater Phoenix
6250 South 23rd Ave Phoenix AZ 85041
www.icep.org
2016 YJA CONVENTION | LOS ANGELES, CA

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som hos Sarva Mangal Family Trust
Pet All Be Ho
Happy Encourages you to actively participate
in JAINA Wellness Program
Lifestyle choices of most first generation Indian Americans
Family
Career
Academics
Social Oultural Priorities
Need to prioritize on nutrition and physical activity
WHAT CAN YOU DO? FOLLOW THE HEALTH GUIDE: EXERCISE NUTRITION STRESS MGMT
Cardio exercises to
strengthen heart muscles - Yoga classes to increase mobility and longevity Weight training to
strenghten muscles · Walking Club
Reduce sodium intake - Increase consumption of
fruits and vegetables - Follow the Healthy Thali
Partion Plate - Drink 1 oz of water for
every 2 lbs of your weight.
Change your attitude, change your stress level = 6 8 hours of slecp/night
Medilation - Problem-solving approach to decrease stress
BE WISE WITH PORTION SIZE HEALTHY 1/4 OF YOUR PLATE:
PROTEIN
HEALTH
FATS & OILS: USE SPARINGLY
THAL
1/4 OF YOUR PLATE: WHOLE GRAINS
1/2 OF YOUR PLATE: FRUITS & VEGETABLES
Calories > 1800
Cories - 900
HEALTH
I MYTAST
om vegetarian,
therefore, I'm healthy!
I'm already
dieting; I don't I need to exarrisel
I have never been sick; thus,
I'm healthy!
A little extra salt won't hurt
anybody!
HEALTH | MYTHS
Health is the best Wealth one can ever have & prevention is better than Cure.
AGENTS OF CHANGE

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Best wishes for a successful 2016 YJA Convention
Rasiklal & Manjulaben Sheth Family
Los Angeles / New York
ir ISGD.org
Jan zociety of greater detroit
HETH
FAMILY FOUNDATION
Best wishes from the Jain Society of Greater Detroit for a successful 2016 YJA Convention!
Best wishes for a very successful 2016 YJA
Convention.
-Madhu and Jagdish Sheth Sheth Family Foundation
Atlanta, GA, USA
2016 YJA CONVENTION | LOS ANGELES, CA

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Celebrating
25
Years
For over 25 years, YA has put an emphasis on projects relating to Jain youth from the ages of 14-29 and serves over 10,000 members today. YJA was first established in 1991, and held the first biennial convention in 1994. YA continues to instill a sense of pride among youth about join heritage by assisting with and promoting charitable community events, creating spaces for Jain youth to learn about and discuss their faith, and much more.
AGENTS OF CHANGE

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AGENTS OF CHANGE
ESSAY CONTEST
Convention attendees were asked to respond to the prompt: "What makes you an agent of change and how does Jainism play a role in that?"
Read your fellow attendees' winning essays here!
FIRST PLACE As we dive deeper into the 5th ara of the cosmic wheel, a world where elements such as compassion, trust, and faith are overpowered by the four kasayas of anger, greed, ego, and deceit, the importance of Agents of Change are more apparent than ever. As a Jain born in the Manushya Gati, we have been bestowed with the knowledge and human capability to facilitate meaningful change and help others around us. Just as Newton's Third Law states that every action has a reaction, even the smallest act of kindness can significantly impact someone's life, and in turn even create more Agents of Change.
My story follows the footsteps of your archetypal American born Jain, who halfheartedly participated in Jain youth events and community functions before completely disconnecting from the community upon entering college life. Of course, this wasn't something I was particularly proud of. Every week would be a reiteration of the previous week, in which I'd declare an ultimatum to get more involved at Dehrasar, only for it to backfire, whether it be an upcoming exam or the sudden need for more sleep on a Sunday. Visiting Dehrasar once a week would evolve into once a month, until it conceded to "showing face" on Mahavir Jayanti and randomly selected Sundays where I would get my Darshan in" before making my swift escape. Sadly, I wasn't the only one.
It wasn't until many years later when I realized that even someone like myself could be an Agent of Change, through something as little as supporting our local YJA and Jain Fellowship events and encouraging others to get involved, whether it be Ultimate Frisbee and the YJA Regional Retreat, or religious oriented events such as Chaitya Pariparti. By setting an example for the next generation, I defy the norm that life after high school doesn't necessitate disengaging from the community like I had done their age.
Building a sense of community is the string that unites Jains of different ages, interests, and backgrounds towards a common goal, our Dehrasar. Without a sense of community, people are less motivated to get involved, cliques begin to form among different age groups, and more troublingly, people feel lost and aren't able to find their place in the group. As an introvert, I know all too well how difficult it could be to meet new people and assimilate into a group you don't know, especially if they aren't your age.
What makes one an Agent of Change? It is going out of the way to make the new person feel welcome, feel valued. It is putting a smile on a stranger's face, for nothing in return. It is doing your best to stay true to the tenants of Jainism, through your mind, words, and actions. I call on all my fellow Agents of Change to lead by example, to break this pattern that is disconnecting our generation, and to encourage others to do the same. Together, we are the future of Jainism.
Houston, TX
SUNNY JAIN, 25
2016 YJA CONVENTION LOS ANGELES, CA

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SECOND PLACE In this age of materialistic pleasures to indulge oneself, it is so easy to get caught up in the web of lavish pleasures.
It can range from the latest cell phone, to name brand clothes and shoes, to a luxurious cruise; the list goes on and on. Not only that, but keeping oneself picture-perfect for posts on Facebook, Twitter, etc., seems to be the latest trend.
But I decided to follow the footsteps of Mahavir.
Mahavir's life, a message of compassion and uplifting fellow human bings inspired me to research about the humanitarian crisis of farmer suicides in India, an issue which I had heard about when I was younger. I found that a farmer in India commits suicide every 40 minutes, (less than one class period in my local high school), for a debt that he owes either to a money lender or the bank.
In turn, his widow is left with no source of livelihood and homeless along with her kids. This ignited a flame of compassion within me. From here on, I had gained an undying feeling that I had to do something to help the widows of these farmers get back on their feet and be financially independent.
During my extensive research I soon came across a non-profit organization named "Save Indian Farmers" that was founded by Indian Americans. Instead of helping the widows financially, I agree with their philosophy make the farmers' self reliant for the rest of their life. With just five hundred dollars, this same organization has helped many widows to start their own businesses such as goat grazing, noodle making, grocery stores, etc.
I am currently working alongside this organization to raise awareness about this underrepresented issue. I have started a blog on their website of my recent visit to the victim families in India. I also am raising awareness about this issue within my school through my school's Human Right's League where I plan to have an informative assembly along with a walk to raise awareness and funds for the victim families. I hope to spread awareness about this issue through various Indian organizations, including Young Jains of America. I urge you to follow my blog on SIF's website! Here is the link: http://www.saveindianfarmers.com/web/through-chandnis-eyes/
Instead of just reading Jain scriptures and blindly reciting, I decided to implement the values it is preaching in my life. Just like the light from millions of lamps is of no avail to a blind person, studying scriptures alone is of no use to a person who does not apply them. Being an agent of change, by removing the despair and pain from these widows and giving them hope will make my life meaningful. I now can be the start to a change I want to see in the world.
This will further pave the way of my spiritual journey and help me attain a higher consciousness. This flame of compassion will give me hopefully give me Samyak Darshan in this birth or maybe the next.
CHANDNI SHAH, 15 Hillsdale, NJ
AGENTS OF CHANGE

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THIRD PLACE Change is synonymous with evolution. The secret to change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new. Everyone is born with the innate capacity to use their powers and strengths to impact the world we live in through a single interaction, a single conversation, and a single look.
And being an agent of change is an aspiration found within every single person. The success of any kind of social epidemic is heavily dependent on the involvement of people with a particular and rare set of social gifts.
Individuals that are successful in helping to be a catalyst for change embody certain ideals and characteristics that eventually set them apart from others. An agent of change doesn't have to be the person in authority, but they do however have to have a clear vision and be able to communicate with others around them. It is essential to tap into the strengths of the people you work with and help them see that there are many ways to work toward a common purpose. Every step forward is a step closer to a goal; change agents just help to make sure that people are moving ahead.
For the last two years, I have been a summer camp counselor for the McKenzie Wilson Foundation, whose desire is to inspire and help young people find their purpose in life. The Foundation is built on bringing change; the camp was a medium through which I could connect to younger, impoverished children and create bonds based on experiences, not wealth. It was a life changing moment to be able to provide the kids with the things we take for granted.
On a field trip, we went to a ranch to ride horses, and it was exhilarating to see their faces light up with joy, since normally they wouldn't be able to afford the trip. These little things we did made the kids happy which in turn brought happiness to me. Jains have always been taught that happiness is not based on the materialistic aspect, and I had the chance to live by and express this ideology to others. Being an agent of change through this Foundation has linked me back to the fundamental Jain principle of caring for other people, especially those who are less fortunate. Having the opportunity to change someone's life is a moment I will always cherish and keep close to my heart.
Jainism is a philosophy that believes in self growth. The three jewels in Jainism represent the concept of right vision, knowledge, and conduct; it conveys that any individual can progress towards their ultimate goal. Being an agent of change allows you to focus all of the energy onto one person or idea. That same person would also have the initiative to help another person at their capacity, and eventually a chain is created where the impact is greater and more powerful.
And in the end, the three C's of life are choices, chances, and changes. You must make a choice to take a chance or there won't any change.
HANNAH SHAH, 16 Jacksonville,
FL
2016 YJA CONVENTION LOS ANGELES, CA

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JAIN ACADEMIC BOWL
TEAMS
Our mission at YJA Conventions has always been to educate Jain youth about their heritage and the rich values of the Jain tradition. #YJA16 will host the second ever Jain Academic Bowl (JAB) at YJA, a team-based competition for young Jains. Topics range from Jain scriptures, prayers, and philosophy to Jain geography, history, and Jainism in the modern world. This YJA Convention, we will be changing the format of the traditional JAB game by breaking up the game into three new rounds, each of which will encourage teamwork and collaboration. We hope that the new style will be fun, exciting, and informative for everyone involved! A special thanks to: Pravin Shah for his mentorship throughout the year and for providing buzzer systems; Anish Doshi, Anjali Doshi, Foram Shah, Salil Ojha, and Siddharth Shah for their hard work as the JAB Administrative Team
NOT YOUR AVERAGE NAVKAR
DARSHI SHAH KANVI SHAH MOHINI SHAH
VEERAJ SHAH ONCE UPON A KAL VARDHAMAN LIONS AYUSHI SANGOI
CHANDNI SHAH KARINA PATEL
DIVYA SHAH PALASH SHAH
DHRUVIL SHAH RUSHABH SHAH
SHREYANS MUNOT MICCHAMI DUKKADAM
ANISH SHAH KHYATI RAKA SANJANA SHAH SHREYAL GANDHI
JAINS IN ACTION (JIA)
Jains in Action (JIA) is taking YJA beyond just the convention. JIA provides a platform for today's Agents of Change to use Jain values, personal knowledge, and past experiences to solve some of today's most pressing issues. Similar to a social hackathon, JIA participants will present their issue and solution; this solution can take the form of a product, business, organization, or movement that inspires others to act. During convention, the teams will be able to collaborate with their teammates during the JIA sessions to create, organize, and finalize their actionable solution. The top three teams will then present to a panel of judges in front of the entire convention audience.
Finally, the winning team will be given a grant (upwards of $1000) to carry out the proposed solution in the real world, working with an investor to take their project to the next level! A special thanks to: The judges for their mentorship and advice to the JIA participants
Anish Doshi, Chintav Shah, Kayuri Shah, Neelam Savla, and Shrenik Vision for tomorrow
Shah for their hard work as the JIA Administrative Team.
JIA
Jains in Action
YJA16
Review case studies and then submit your own idea that solves a need, while making the world a better place.
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PARTICIPANTS JUDGES
Team up The group will form teams around their favorite ideas and then work together to Create viable solutions
ANKIT JAIN
ANKIT SHAH
03 SS
Share The top groups will present their idea in front of the convention along with a panel of notable judges
ABHISHEK JAIN AKSHAT JAIN
AMIT JAIN
ANITA JAIN CHARUL CHANDRA CHIRAG SHAH DIPAL SAVLA HARDIK SHAH
JACKIN JAIN JULIE MEHTA KETAN KAPASI KRUPA SHAH MONICA SHAH MOULIK SOLANKI
NEEL KOTHARI NEESHA DAULAT
NIKET JAIN PARITA SHAH PRACHI JAIN PRATIK SHAH RUSHABH SHAH RUSHALI KOTHARI
SEAN GAJAR SHAILEE SHAH
SID SHAH SIDHANT GANDHI VARDHAN SOLANKI
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BUILD One team will be selected by the udges to receive a grant to help turn their big idea into reality!
HITEN SHAH
TERRY CECIL
https://conventionyla.org/ja
AGENTS OF CHANGE
YANIV SNIR

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KEYNOTE SPEAKER
HOUSTON KRAFT
Houston Kraft is a professional speaker, leadership consultant, and kindness advocate. He has spoken to nearly half a million students, staff, and parents across the country through nearly 400 events sharing his message of compassion, character, leadership, and love.
HOOS5
Houston doesn't just inspire people to change for a day. His goal is to inspire a lifestyle - one rooted in character, compassion, and a consistent desire to choose to love people around us (even when that choice is scary, inconvenient, or hard).
He is the creator of the Choose Love Movement and CharacterStrong - an app and curriculum that focuses on habit development for your heart. When he isn't speaking, he is traveling the world with his wife, Harley, or playing a fierce game of laser tag. Get excited to meet this Agent of Change in July!
SESSION AND SUITE
SPONSORS
Thank you to the following generous donors for their sponsorship of sessions and suites at YJA.
Speed Dating Sessions Janvier Diamond Concierge
Hospitality Suite Ashok & Harshana Savla, Chunilal & Ila Shah
Rajiv & Darshana Gala Harilal & Ranjan Dedhia, Hiren & Hemal Dedhia Pankaj & Malti Shah, Vijay & Madhu Chheda Navin & Divya Gangar, Jitu & Sarla Jhaveri
Harish & Geeta Khona Chandrakant & Pravina Shah, Dhiraj & Jyoti Dedhia
Ashish & Payal Shah, Milind & Kranti Shalia
Daytime Sessions
Prem Jain Dinesh, Sunita, Ajay, and Nilesh Dagli Rasiklal and Manjula Sheth Family (Equitable
Properties, LLC) Jain Center of New Jersey Jain Center of Greater Boston
Jain Society of Houston Jain Center of Northern California Jain Study Center of North Carolina
2016 YJA CONVENTION LOS ANGELES, CA

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Congratulations & Best Wishes to
YJA Convention 2016
Congratulations for realizing the Dream of YJA at JAINA Convention 1991 (25 years of YJA) For growing the seed of YJA Convention at JAINA EC Meeting in 1993 For a thriving YJA from an Impromptu Meeting in JAINA
Convention 1993. • Looking forward to next 25.
Girish & Datta Shah Family (Girish, Datta, Nivisha, Munjal, Bhavin, Vijay, Tejal, Avneesh, Amitel,
Deven. Sofia. Aman. & val.
Jain Center of Connecticut IN POSITIVE
INVESTMENTS, INC
Best wishes to Young Jains of America
Jai Jinendra!
CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES TO YOUNG JAINS OF AMERICA FOR THE 12TH BIENNIAL 2016 YJA CONVENTION
from Rao Yalamanchili & Srinivas Yalamanchili
115 Murray Street Norwalk, CT 06851
(203) 849-8162
610 N. Santa Anita Ave., Arcadia, CA 91006
Ph: (626) 321-4800 Fax: (626) 321-4801
AGENTS OF CHANGE

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BEST WISHES TO THE 2015-2016 YJA CONVENTION BOARD ON PLANNING A SUCCESSFUL CONVENTION
24
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to not
A S
A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE SAVLA FAMILY KIDS FOR PARTICIPATING IN A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO THE SPREAD OF JAINISM AND ITS VALUES.
POPAT & KALPANA SAVLA
2016 YJA CONVENTION | LOS ANGELES, CA

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Best wishes to YJA un 12th Biennial Convention 2016
OR
from
SOCIET
YO
EVERY MONTH Pathshala Every Sunday 10 am to 11 am followed by 1st Sunday Digambar looja 2nd Sunday Samayik 3rd Sunday General Meeting 4th Sunday Snatra Pooja
SWADHYAY SCHOLARS VISIT PARYUSHAN/DAS-LAXAN SWAMI VATSALYA
DIWALI MAHAVIR JAYANTI
dfwjains.org
w
भोपाराध
art, mt frau et ment
Please visit us at 11321 Webb Chapel Road, Dallas, TX 75229
With Best Wishes from Kulfi & Cookie Dagli
2016 YJA Convention
AGENTS OF CHANGE

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Jain Center of Northern California
Best Wishes for the grand success of YJA Convention 2016
722 South Main Street,
Milpitas, CA 95035
3 (408) 262-6242 www.jcue.org info@jenc.org
Religious Mahavir Janma Kalyanak Mahavir Nirvan, Paryushan/Das Laran, Pratishtha Anniversary. Chha Gau Yatra, Shrimad Rachandra Nirvan, lectures & Shibir on spiritual topics Regularly scheduled Swadhyas, Bhavna, Pujas and Vidhaans
Key Events Education
Public Relations 500+ Students in Jain. Gujarati and Hindi Host field visit for students from Shala
Universities Need based scholarship program
Participate in Interfaith activilies Jiv Daya Field Inp
Darpan E-Newsletter
1300+ member families Cultural Annual Picnic, Hike and Dandia
Facilities & Technology Monthly Senior Citizen Meet.
Live Event Webcast JCNC Cricket League, Sacrts Day Green Intialive (Sclar carport structure)
With Best Compliments From
Khara Family
2016 YJA CONVENTION LOS ANGELES, CA

Page #29

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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
Anyone has the potential to become a leader, an Agent of Change, or both. And it's the decisions and impact made by these individuals that powerfully influences both regional and global communities. These decisions and impacts also flow across generations and through time. Together, let's brainstorm the what, why, and how regarding leadership as a whole - Then you decide on the type of leader you want to be. #YouDecide
#YouDecide Yashwini Kamdar
24 Frames per Spirit: Filmic Storytelling and the Nature of Spirituality Megha Kadakia, Saurabh Kikani
HS/COL INTERFAITH
Spiritual stories are the foundation of human civilization. As societies have grown, our stories have become simultaneously more universal and more complicated. With the dissemination of powerful forms of media that cross borders, cultures and language, we invite you to discuss how film and other media forms have come to reflect our complicated world on the surface, and our most simple desires just underneath - connection, transcendence, and pure entertainment.
7 Steps to Change the World
Sohum Daftary
HS SOCIAL IMPACT
You've finally figured out the problem with your organization (school, team, government, company, etc.). You've identified an injustice, an inefficiency, or an opportunity for improvement. But how do you move from ideation to implementation? How do you convince people that your action of change is correct? What should you do to motivate people to help enact your change? How do you make sure the change sticks after it is implemented? Luckily, we can learn from top businesses and theories of change to answer these questions. We all want to change the world, so let's learn how.
A Blueprint for Future Financial Success
Khyati Shah
A New and IMPROVed Soul Kanvi Shah, Shreyal Gandhi
COL/JNF CAREER
Have you thought about your financial future? It's never too early to start planning! This session will cover the basics about planning for your future - Join us for a discussion on how you can make the right decisions to live comfortably in the years to come.
A Spiritual Paradox: Jainism and the Army Raj Kankaria
HS EDUCATION
Ever wanted to comprehend the intriguing concept of the soul? To grasp at the ominous descriptions Jainism gives us of this mysterious life force? Come join us to explore the journey the soul takes through interactive improv activities, by which you will come to understand the experiences of the soul. Enjoy a few laughs while learning about the soul through improv games!
NGE
JNF CAREER
JNF SOCIAL IMPACT
This session will explore the experiences of a young Jain officer serving in the United States Army, and how Jainism has helped him become an effective leader and problem solver. Following the theme of the convention, the session will also narrate and discuss how Jainism has allowed 1LT Raj Kankaria to act as an 'Agent of Change' in the organization he leads and in the lives of the soldiers he is given charge of.
Anekantvaad and How it Improves Human Interactions
Nilesh Dagli
Applying the Jain Karma Philosophy to your Daily Life
Pravin Shah
HS/COL EDUCATION
When we are asked to describe the basic principles of Jainism, often Jains will point to non-violence and an overall detachment from worldly possessions. In this session, you'll incorporate Anekantvaad - non-absolutism - as a basic pillar in the Jain religion. Understanding how Anekantvaad can be incorporated into one's life and the overall benefits achieved through this principle will be our main objective. We will examine how Anekantvaad is correlated with other basic principles in helping Jains reach the ultimate goal of inner peace and salvation.
HS/COL LIFESTYLE
The philosophy of Karma in Jainism is inherently spiritual in nature; however, this aspect of Jain thought is often misconstrued in a dogmatic fashion. When someone suffers, some Jains think that it is solely due to their Karma. Some think that we should not participate in charity work because if a person commits any sin after we help them, we will acquire their bad Karma. These type of interpretations result in discrediting our Jain religion. This session reviews the practical aspects of the Jain Karma philosophy and will discuss the proper role and true purpose of Karma philosophy.
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2016 YJA CONVENTION | LOS ANGELES, CA

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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
Basics of Jainism: The Three Jewels
HS/COL Sagar Shah
EDUCATION With the story of a seed growing into a tree, we shall try to connect the Three Jewels of Jainism - Right Faith, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct - and learn how they can help us grow on our journey towards liberation. Just as a seed grows and transforms into a plant, we too must be ready to let the right decisions take us from one point in time to the next.
Being a Good Jain
HS/COL Apurva Bhansali
EDUCATION From a young age, we are raised to be good Jains. Our parents are constantly telling us to work hard, be successful, to have a great career, get married, have kids, have religious values and to follow the teachings of Mahavir Bhagwan and the Tirthankars. But wait - Mahavir teaches us that happiness can not come from any of these material things and that we should give up our worldly possessions to find inner peace. So are we really being raised as good Jains? Be prepared to discuss your thoughts and your ideas in this interactive session! Being More - Panel
COL/JNE Rapir Dedhia, Avni Shah, Dipal Savla, Umang Patel
CAREER Life isn't a path, it's a journey. Many times our careers are shown to us as a step by step procedure to move towards only one goalsuccess. However, the greatest successes in life come from something more elusive: true passion. Join our panelists for a discussion about how they translated their skills and discipline to manifest the change that they believed in.
Being Smart with Social Media
HS/COL Juhi Hegde, Virag Vora, Simmi Nandu
CAREER Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, repeat. In today's day and age, social media has become a dominating aspect of our lives. However, more than just observing what others are doing, you can use these apps as opportunities to network, enhance career prospects, and expand your horizons! Come join us to discuss how to be smart with social media and use it to your advantage!
Biomedical Ethics - What's Right?
COL Vaishali lain
CAREER What is your stance on abortion? Can we justify using animals or animal products in biomedical research? Should we? How do you respond if a patient will ask you to do something that may go against your morals? Organized through a socratic seminar session, we will discuss some of these difficult decisions that undoubtedly some of us will have to make in the future. Disclaimer: some of these topics will be very sensitive, so we ask that you come with an open mind and be respectful of everyone's viewpoints!
JNE
Casual Speed Dating Pinita Shah, Bonita Parikh
LIFESTYLE This day and age, it's difficult to find people on the same wavelength as yourself. Most people are set with their own groups of friends - making it hard to broaden one's network. Where do you find these groups now? At Work? Grad School? Your Parents?! This session is all about friendships, opening up, and inviting in the new. Kick off convention by meeting people who share the same interests and networks as yourself - and build relationships that may last well into your future. Brought to you by Janvier, the Diamond Concierge.
JNE
Can Women Go To Moksha? Pinita Shah
INTERFAITH Women have made strides professionally, politically, and in society as a whole. So can women achieve the same status as males when it comes to religion or do women have extra hurdles that make the path to liberation more difficult? Join us as we explore how different religions answer this question. By looking at the similarities across these religions, we can work towards uncovering a woman's spiritual journey in today's world.
Changing the Conversation: Ahimsa, Self-Compassion, and Mental Health
HS/JNE Ramey Ko
Lifestyle Compassion and nonviolence are central tenets of Jainism, yet the people we often show the least compassion to are ourselves. For too long, mental and emotional health issues have been treated as a subject of shame. Change can only happen when we share openly, confront myths and fears, and realize that until we cease hurting ourselves, we cannot truly show compassion to others. This session will show us how to understand and value ourselves, expand the conversation on mental health, give us practical
tips on self-compassion, and learn how to be that truly supportive ally and friend. AGENTS OF CHANGE

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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
Coexisting in an Interfaith Society
COL Parul Kothari
INTERFAITH We see the influence of today's social, cultural, and religious diversity in our lives, circumstances, situations and surroundings. These influences form the bases of our spiritual beliefs, opinions and practices. In this session, let's search through the knowledge and scriptures of our major world religious philosophies to find what binds us as human beings with similar hopes, dreams and aspirations.
College & Career Panel
HS/COL Mrunal Gandhi, Binoy Shah, Saejal Chatter, Adit Shah, Ronak Shah
CAREER After college life can sometimes seem scary, and a little unreal. The choice between different graduate schools and getting a job out of college can be difficult. This panel is an opportunity to speak with current college students, recent graduates, and working professionals about their choices and have your questions answered. Comparative World Religions: An Umbrella of Truth
COL/JNE Sunita Jain
INTERFAITH Blindly following one religion can have its downsides; as the Buddha said, 'do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it'. In this interactive session, we will explore the concepts of God, Soul, the afterlife, and more in several Eastern and Western religions. By comparing and examining these ideas, perhaps we can understand and find the truth in each of these unique but similar perspectives. Cooking Towards the Vegan Direction
HS/COL/JNE Anjali Lalani
LIFESTYLE Thought about going vegan but don't know where to start? Worried about missing some of your favorite foods, eating out, or not getting proper nutrition? It's easier than you think! We'll discuss new and easy ways to incorporate healthy ingredients to create tasty plant-based meals in your own kitchen. Anjali will discuss her own transition from a Vegetarian to Vegan diet, the challenges she faced, and how she overcame them. Having a plant-based diet does not have to be difficult, and this discussion is meant to inspire and guide you while answering any questions you may have. Devotion in Classical Dance
HS/COL Juhi Hegde, Kinari Shah, Tina Lapsia
LIFESTYLE Do you have a passion for dance? Whether you have a classical background or not, come join us to discuss devotion in the Indian Classical Arts! Dancers from all backgrounds are welcome! Dharma as a Blueprint
HS/COL Ankit Shah
CAREER Jain Dharma today is often regarded as something we learn in the temple, but find difficult to practice in our day to day lives. If this is the case, why learn about Jain Dharma at all? This session will explore how to utilize Dharma to guide us in our day to day actions and build a Blueprint to create our ideal lives. Together, we'll deliver on this promise by introducing actionable strategies to implement Jain Dharmic thinking into our day to day lives and help facilitate better decision making. Dharma can guide us with personal, relationship, professional decisions and more, but most importantly it can guide us to our best selves. Eat Your Greens to Fit in Your Jeans
HS/COL/JNE Ronak Shah, Priyanka Vora
LIFESTYLE The Jain diet is good for your mind and soul, however is ALL of it good for your body? How do you get the most out of a Jain diet to give your body the daily nutritional value it needs? In this session, we would like to provide individuals with the basic tips and tricks we have learned over the years to stay fit and healthy. Some of these include taking traditional meals and switching them with healthier alternatives. Though many suffer from a busy schedule, it is important to remember that you must take care of your body in order to get the most out of your day. Empathic Listening: Becoming a True Agent of Change Hema Pokharna
SOCIAL IMPACT This program provides the empathic listening skills and know-how to be a successful Agent of Change. This workshop will uses a mix of practical exercises, discussion, and personalized learning to build an understanding of change and how to manage it, plus develop the skills to support, advocate and navigate others through a journey of personal transformation. Learn how to listen empathically to bring changes within yourself and towards others. Empathy is Exercise
HS Houston Kraft
SOCIAL IMPACT Love is a skill - one that we can practice in our lives daily. But what does it look like? How do we grow in our capacity for compassion? How do we increase our empathetic intuition? How do I get stronger in my ability to love myself and the world? In
our short time together, we will get to work getting better at Love. www.houstonkraft.com 30
HS
2016 YJA CONVENTION LOS ANGELES, CA

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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
Faith and Love
HS/COL Charul Chandra
EDUCATION "A little faith takes us to heaven, but complete faith brings heaven to us" is a quote with many connotations. While 'heaven' can be interpreted as accomplishing one's goals or building healthy relationships, the key to making heaven a reality is leading a life with Faith and Love. In this session we'll bring forth various dilemmas, problems, and obstacles that young people face and are often unable to deal with in a positive manner. We'll simulate situations where you'll learn to react with unique principles of both faith and love. Come join this engaging and interactive learning experience! Free Your Mind
HS Mahima Shah
EDUCATION The best kind of attachment is no attachment. All our lives, we are stuck in a relentless cycle of wanting the next big thing - but this cycle is the source of all our unhappiness and dissatisfaction with our current state of being. Once we achieve the mentality of letting go, true freedom and bliss can be felt running through our veins as things that were once mundane suddenly become beautiful. Jainism supports this theory through all of its scriptures and core tenants - join this session to learn how to truly free your mind and have a new outlook on life! From Values to Action Hema Pokharna
SOCIAL IMPACT From Values to Action is a session based in self-reflection, which is central to your leadership as an Agent of Change. By engaging in these reflective exercises we will identify what you stand for, what your values are, and what matters most to you. This process will encourage you to find clarity within and prioritize how and where you choose to invest your time, effort, and energy. Learn to make better choices, communicate more effectively, and connect more deeply with others. Grounded in self-knowledge, your leadership will become more authentic as you grow to become a true Agent of Change. Gender Norms in Jainism
HS/COL/JNE Neelam Savla, Chintav Shah, Kayuri Shah, Shrenik Shah
SOCIAL IMPACT Have you ever felt judged for the way you dress? Do you believe that there should be gender segregation at Jain temples? Do you feel the need to censor yourself on social media? Join us in this interactive session to explore various gender inequalities and stereotypes that exist in our Jain culture. Come with an open mind, a willingness to share, and respect for each other.
JNE
God and Temple: Soul & Body
COL Fulchand Shastri
EDUCATION In this session we'll understand the traditional beliefs and ritualistic practices that arise in the search of God. Learn how we can grow out of ritualistic devotion with the explanation of the Soul and the significance of the Body that houses it. Join this session to learn about Mahavir's message of omniscience and redirect your spiritual journey towards becoming free from wrong belief and delusion.
Heaven and Hell: A Journey Through Space
HS Fulchand Shastri
EDUCATION This session will take on the intriguing concepts in Jain Cosmology. We'll understand how a living being may exist in one of three worlds within the universe and learn how each soul is still bound by the Theory of Karma. Through the circumstances one faces during his journey to these mysterious locations in the Universe, we'll look at the layout of the Heavens and Hells as described in the Jain scriptures. Only with this knowledge can we free ourselves from the vicious cycle of birth and death - and begin a journey to the supreme destination where all liberated souls reside: Moksha. How Are You an Agent of Change: Essay Contest Winners
HS/COL/JNE Sunny Jain, Chandni Shah, Hannah Shah
SOCIAL IMPACT Join this session for a chance to meet the Essay Contest Winners! The authors will read their winning essays, share their thoughts about their essays, and provide the audience with discussion questions. Come to this session prepared to talk about what makes you an Agent of Change! How Has YJA Impacted Me?
HS/COL Siddhee Kasudia, Mahima Shah, Krutak Shah, Divyansh Shah, Puja Savla
SOCIAL IMPACT Ever wonder if you should get more involved with YJA? How has staying close to the YJA community changed your life or helped you? The YJA Impact Panel should provide answers to these questions by bringing in a variety of speakers to describe how YJA has impacted their personal and professional lives throughout the years. After the panel, you'll be free to ask any questions you have or speak individually with the panelists about their experiences with YJA! How Jain Are You: JWOL
HS/COL Sunita Jain
LIFESTYLE We have learned core Jain principles from our families and Jain Centers, and we will use the Jain Way of Life (WOL) model to talk
about ways to adopt these practices into our daily lives. We will look at the range of practices, determine where we are on the AGENTS OF CHANGE scale, and look at options to move forward and upward on this trajectory towards Moksha.

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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
How to be True Jainz
HS/COL Aanya Gandhi, Julie Mehta
LIFESTYLE Have you ever felt like there were academic and social pressures that may have had you compromise your personal morals and values? Hear first-hand from college students and their experiences of how to deal with these pressures and create a series of suggestions for future generations. Inside the Navkar Mantra
HS/COLIJNE Samani Suyasnidhi, Samani Shrutnidhi, Samani Shreenidhi
EDUCATION The Navkar Mantra: 9 lines of a message that has more meaning than you can imagine. The last 2 lines of the Navkar Mantra mean 'Of all things auspicious and valuable, the Navkar Mantra is the first and foremost.' The Navkar Mantra itself explicitly claims that it is worth more than all of Bill Gates' wealth, more auspicious than the temple ceremonies you do, more desired than the CEO's chair of the company you work at, or the valedictorian's position of the school you go to. Yet is this the way we feel? Ever wonder, 'Maybe I'm not completely doing it right..? Join this session to learn more! JAB Semifinal: Micchami Dukkadam vs. Not Your Average Navkar
HS/COL
EDUCATION Game on! Experience the most entertaining competition about the principles of Jainism with the 2nd ever Jain Academic Bowl (IAB) at YJA! Watch 16 of the brightest young Jains square off while showing (and teaching) you just how much they know - ranging from Jain scriptures and philosophy to Jain geography, history, and Jainism in the modern world. This YJA Convention, JAB includes a buzzer round, a Minute-to-Win-It round, and Jain Family Feud round. Get ready for an exciting JAB semi-finals match and cheer for your favorite team in the JAB Finals on Sunday! JAB Semifinal: Vardhaman Lions vs. Once Upon a kal
HS/COL
EDUCATION Game on! Experience the most entertaining competition about the principles of Jainism with the 2nd ever Jain Academic Bowl (IAB) at YJA! Watch 16 of the brightest young Jains square off while showing (and teaching) you just how much they know -ranging from Jain scriptures and philosophy to Jain geography, history, and Jainism in the modern world. This YJA Convention, JAB includes a buzzer round, a Minute-to-Win-It round, and Jain Family Feud round. Get ready for an exciting JAB semi-finals match and cheer for your favorite team in the JAB Finals on Sunday! Jain Art and Architecture
HS/COL Anjali Doshi
EDUCATION Did you know that the 57 foot tall statue of Bahubali at Shravanbelgola was once voted the first of the "Seven Wonders of India" in a Times of India poll? Over thousands of years, Jains have produced remarkable literary, artistic and architectural works. Yet in Western society, it is easy to forget that Indians, Jains included, have created architecture and artwork equaling that created in the West. We will discuss examples of Jain art and architecture, how these examples fit into larger contemporary artistic trends, and how they contrast with comparable creations from other faiths. Jain Diet and Food - A Holistic Approach to Spirituality, Health and Ecology Pravin Shah
LIFESTYLE What does “Jain" food mean? Is it vegetarian food that contains no root vegetables? Do the Jain scriptures define such a narrow definition? This session will investigate the definition of the Jain diet using the holistic approach of Ahimsa and self-restraint found in the Jain scriptures. It properly defines the criteria of the Jain diet and concludes that the Jain diet - if practiced properly as indicated in the scriptures - is an ideal, practical diet that progresses our spiritual endeavors and eco-friendly lifestyle.
JNE
JAINA Initiatives and Youths
HS/COLIJNE Ashok Domadia
SOCIAL IMPACT This session will provide updates on new JAINA initiatives that serve to support Agents of Change with a focus on Youth initiatives. Youth is the # 1 JAINA initiative as the JAINA Executive Committee understands where the future of Jainism in North America lies. JAINA is a Gold Sponsor for this YJA Convention and is hosting 10+ Youths from India as part of its Youth Exchange program. To further connect with the younger audience, JAINA has a significant presence on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The session will share the long-term vision of JAINA, with a focus on an important Agent of Change - You. Jain-American Cooking Class
HS/COL Siddhee Kasudia
LIFESTYLE Eating out and finding vegetarian and vegan food options can be difficult at times, but it is especially hard finding Jain food in the United States. Since we all love food from the various corners of the world, this session is a hands on cooking class on how to make
vegan and Jain dishes along with other international cuisine options to reflect our love, compassion, and nonviolence during paryushan or everyday eating.
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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
Jainism and Sports: The Dilemma
Sunny Dharod
HS
LIFESTYLE
For those of us who are Jain athletes, how can we use religion to put ourselves in a position to win races, hit the game-winning home run, or make the shot at the last second? When we find ourselves tackling our opponents in football, accidentally hitting someone in the face with a basketball, or stepping on plants and insects while running races, do these acts of violence mean Jains shouldn't be allowed to play sports? In this session, we will explore what it means to be a Jain athlete and will ask and answer questions on how to balance out religious and athletic success! Jainism and the Art of Giving
Vaibhav Jain
JNF SOCIAL IMPACT
A core principle of Jainism is to leave selfishness for selflessness. Join public health specialist and foundation leader Vaibhav Jain for an interactive discussion about how even a small group of thoughtful and committed young Jains can change the world through philanthropy and service to the underserved. We'll consider the roles of advocacy organizations and foundations to create a structure for doing good on topics ranging from gender equality and poverty to global public health and animal rights.
Jainism for Future Presidents
Diyaanka Jhaveri, Rea Savla
HS/COL EDUCATION
Is there a place for Jainism in politics? Do our Jain views align with foreign policy in America? From the refugee crisis to the heated election these past few months, this session will provide an interesting discussion on how our Jain values can better align with our political beliefs. Come with an open mind and you'll be sure to learn some unique perspectives!
Jainism in the Modern Era
Simmi Nandu
Did you know there are close to 100,000 Jains living in the US? Join us in a discussion about the diaspora of Jainism to numerous corners of the world and explore the presence of Jainism and its influence in the current century. We'll examine references to Jainism in 21st century popular culture, understand the influence of Shrimad Rajchandra, and look into topics such as the 2015 Santhara Case that went to the Supreme Court of India.
Jainism on Your College Campus Ruhee Jain, Prakhar Bhandari
COL LIFESTYLE
Part of a Jain club on your college campus? If the answer is yes, come join us in this session! This session will be a time for members of Jain organizations from various universities to exchange their ideas and experiences. This session aims to help each organization broaden their educational and event materials, so that they can bring more variety to their club throughout the school year. Anyone interested in starting a Jain club on their campus should definitely attend this session as well!
Jainism vs. Modern Ethics
Anish Doshi
HS/COL EDUCATION
HS/COL
AGENTS OF CHAN EDUCATION
Jainism isn't unique in defining morality; ethical frameworks such as utilitarianism, deontology, and virtuism all provide alternative answers to the fundamental question, "What makes us good?" In the spirit of Anekantvada, we'll investigate these frameworks and compare them with Jainism. We'll apply our discussion to some interesting thought experiments, such as the Trolley problem and the Utility monster problem, and conclude with some real-world issues. By critically evaluating problems from a Jain perspective, we will explore new solutions to issues philosophers have debated for centuries.
Jainism: The Science of Life
Arpit Mehta
HS/COL/JNF EDUCATION
While the word religion is closely associated with faith, often it is purely faith and faith alone. However, Jainism is a philosophy which is based on logic and as the practices and theories are logically dealt with, faith comes from within. In this session we will look at Jainism from the eye of science. From Einstein's theory of relativity and the measurement of the smallest atom, to the laws of universal attraction and the theory of karma, step by step we will see how modern science approves the Jain tenants and how Jainism takes it further beyond logic.
Jains in Action (JIA)
JainU: Jainism in University
Poojan Mehta, Monica Vora, Adit Shah, Ravi Doshi, Pankti Gala
COL/JNF SOCIAL IMPACT
This session is reserved for the participants of Jains in Action (JIA) - YJA's first ever social impact competition! These Agents of Change will be putting Jainism into practice by spending this time collaborating on their JIA projects; generating new ideas, conducting research and analysis, discussing alternatives, and outlining their implementation plan. At the end of these working sessions, the Top 3 teams will be invited to present to judges in front of the entire convention audience!
HS/COL LIFESTYLE
Leaving the nest can be one of the toughest moments of our lives. Does Jainism change when you get to college? How can you practice Jainism through your daily choices and actions in college? If these are some of the things that you're wondering as you 33, AGENTS OF CHANGE head off to college this fall, come join us!

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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
JNE
JNF Community Service Jayana Shah
SOCIAL IMPACT Join us for a JNF wide community service project where we will work with Tender Care Community Outreach Program (TCCOP), a Southern California based organization that provides weekly meals and grocery to the various homeless shelters, empowers under privileged students with educational programs and school supplies including computers, visits the elderly in hospitals. Mingle with your fellow attendees while giving back to the local Southern California community as model Agents of Change!
Leadership from Below: On Becoming a Change Agent
COL Hema Pokharna
SOCIAL IMPACT This is a session to engage participants in a process that challenges them to develop consciousness of Self, Other and the Collective. We will focus on the development of skills to empower participants to become effective Agents of Change. Our focus will be to build personal skills, clarify your goals, and then turn to influence others around you in a positive manner.
Linkedin: 0 to 100 Real Quick
COL/JNE Prachi Shah
CAREER Whether you are completely new to LinkedIn or already an avid enthusiast, this workshop will teach you everything you need to know! Not only are you going to learn how to make/improve your profile, connect with employers, and find jobs, but you're also going to - wait for it-get insider knowledge on how companies view your Linkedin information! This workshop will help you boost your LinkedIn capabilties from 0 to 100, real quick! Living Meditation: Find Your Inner Peace
HS/JNE Saman Shrutpragyaji
EDUCATION With our busy lives, we get more and more entangled with the demands of living in the modern world. With all its competitive forces and sources of stress, anxiety and depression, it is often difficult for many to enjoy peace of mind or to cultivate a sense of inner calm. Living Meditation is crucial here, enabling those who take part in it to calm their mind and regain their inner peace, found within each and every person. Get ready to discuss powerful techniques of meditation that everyone will benefit from!
Looking at Karma, Rebirth, Non-violence and Nirvana across Religions
HS/COL Kokila Doshi
INTERFAITH This is a session to engage participants in a process that challenges them to develop consciousness of Self, Other and the Collective. We will focus on the development of skills to empower participants to become effective Agents of Change. Our focus will be to build personal skills, clarify your goals, and then turn to influence others around you in a positive manner.
JNE
Making Sense of Change Pinita Shah
CAREER Have you ever been frustrated because you felt people didn't understand your ideas? Do you feel like you're always playing the mediator in a group? Are you worried about losing tradition? You're not alone! We all handle situations differently and this session will help you understand how you deal with change, how others might perceive you, and how to communicate effectively to those around you. Discover the method used in Fortune 500 companies all over the world to find out what kind of Agent of Change you are. (Assessment questions will be sent prior to convention).
Millennials: Making a Difference
HS/COL/JNE Yashwini Kamdar
CAREER There is no debate that each generation is different from the previous generation (example: Great Generation, Baby Boomers, Gen X). This is true regarding one's perspective on giving back or paying it forward as well. How can millennials give back to older generations and pay it forward to "these young kids", aka Gen Z, and others? This interactive session will focus on different and creative ways of making a difference.
JNE
Our Health and Nutrition Sunita Jain
LIFESTYLE Get ready to explore our diet from a medical and nutritional perspective with the goal of incorporating the vegetarian, vegan, and Jain diets into one. Bring your creativity as you'll be coming up with a sample 2000 calorie diet and balancing the neces
sary elements for healthy eating and living! 34
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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
Paapasthanaks - How Can We Avoid Them? Anjali Doshi
We've heard of the Paapasthanaks, the 18 ways of doing paap/bad karma according to Jainism, but how many of us remember any of them besides lying and violence? And more importantly, how can we avoid these deeds, such as gossip and quarrelling, in our day-today lives? In this session we will focus on the lesser discussed Paapasthanaks, using examples from personal experience, media, news, etc., and collaboratively come up with ideas for avoiding them in daily life.
Packing Light: Aparigraha in Daily Life
Nirav Shah
Party Like a Jain
Bonita Parikh, Umang Patel
Through exercises and discussion, this session will give you the tools to bring the vow of Aparigraha - non-possessiveness - into your daily life. We'll be honestly answering the questions of: 'How did I get all this stuff?"; "Why do I keep all this stuff?; 'Does this stuff really matter?; What are the real causes of attachment?"; 'How can simplifying my life renew my sense of focus? Get ready for an eye-opening and interactive session!
Peace Through Commerce
Kokila Doshi
HS/COL EDUCATION
We all enjoy a great party, a night out clubbing, and simply put - the social scene. With a great social life comes great responsibilitywe're inevitably faced with decisions that often do not align with our Jain principles. How do you approach these situations? Join us for a fun chat and learn how to Party like a Jain!
Realign Your Life: Peer Pressure in Jainism
Sunny Shah
HS/COL INTERFAITH
Relationship Panel
Mihir Shah, Jen Lee, Sagar Khona, Keya Pasad, Purvi Shah, Parag Mehta, Vaibhav Jain
COL/INF LIFESTYLE
What's your compass in life? How can you incorporate Jain values in business for social impact? As Agents of Change, how can Jain entrepreneurs be both exemplary leaders and role models for today's fast-paced business environment? In this session, you'll learn about game-changing social ventures that address unmet social needs with transformative models. We will brainstorm innovative ideas to solve pressing issues and build a culture of peace and compassion. Be ready to understand the importance of inner transformation - bringing Jainness' into all walks of life to create the greater good.
Promise and Perils of Social Media
HS LIFESTYLE
Sean Gajjar
Social platforms have found their ways into every aspect of our lives, from how we interact with our friends & family to how we conduct business. Without a doubt it has made its mark on our culture and society. This session will explore the promise and perils of social media and how the emerging technologies will change the way we interact with our daily world - for better or for worse.
GEN
GE
Saving a Life: Breaking the Stigma Around Mental Health
Sohum Daftary
COL/JNF INTERFAITH
Our lives are filled with stress but how we channel our energy is what really matters. Peer pressure is a very real issue affecting teenagers all over the world today - sometimes others put pressure on you to do something against your values or beliefs. Vice-versa, there are also positive kinds of peer pressure that can be powerful in shaping positive behaviors. This session will examine the perceived stress in our lives and how it affects our mental health and psychological well being. Join this session to learn how we can seek help and realign our path where appropriate.
HS/COL LIFESTYLE
COUJNF LIFESTYLE
Relationships can be tricky waters to navigate, especially given the societal, familial, and religious pressures involved. In this Relationship Panel, you'll have the opportunity to listen to different viewpoints that explore the ups and down along with the rights and wrongs of being in a relationship. If you're looking to expand your beliefs on what should and shouldn't be valued in Jain (and interfaith) relationships, this session is for you!
HS/COL LIFESTYLE
Olivia, a fellow student, stepped in front of a train this past semester, and everyone was to blame. It's so normal to visit the doctor once a year, but why is it different to visit a therapist? We know our bones aren't made of steel, but why do we pretend our minds are? Sometimes we need a shoulder to lean on or someone to speak to. But it can be difficult, especially when the environment discourages showing signs of weakness. That's why it's our job to change that environment. Jainism teaches compassion. You can be an advocate for accepting human imperfections. You can save a life.
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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
JNE
Seize the Moment
HS Manda Pokharna
LIFESTYLE This session will be devoted to interactive and experiential activities focused on daily introspection, journaling, and learning about the process of renewing yourself. The process will release your past, reclaim your potency, and transform any aspect of your life with ease and compassion. Servant Leadership - It's About the Work Shandyn Pierce, Pujen Solanki
SOCIAL IMPACT Servant Leadership begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve first. Join us in an interactive discussion about what it means to be an Agent of Change, with a special emphasis on this ideal of Servant Leadership. Learn about what you can do in your local communities to bring about positive change. Society vs. Spirituality Workshop
COL/JNE Anant Vijay, Niharika Sethi, Priya Gulecha
INTERFAITH In this session, we aim to teach you how each of us leads two distinct lives: functional (work, school, society, family) and spiritual. We've recognized that most people have a difficult time balancing this duality. We'll learn how to play the balancing game and how you can use one aspect to empower the other. The result of the session is intended for you to understand the two parts of your existence, reduce stress, and live a life where your life will serve as an example to others. Speak Peace in a World of Conflict Manda Pokharna
LIFESTYLE What you say next will change your world. In this session we will learn how we can transform conflicts at home, at work, and in the world. When you see violence and conflict among your family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors, do you wish you could do something to offer an alternative to violence, force and domination? Be ready to learn some very simple steps you can take to mobilize peace in any situation!
JNE
JNE
Speed Dating Hersh Jhaveri, Tanya Parikh
LIFESTYLE How many times have you been asked to meet this girl or that boy? Or how many times have you been to a wedding or function where people say "now when is it going to be your turn?" We all get it. Parents just don't understand! With our fast-paced lives and so much technology at our fingertips, it's hard being as social as your Facebook Timeline says! So where do we meet people just like us? This session is for anyone looking for that special connection - who knows if life's next chapter begins here! Brought to you by Janvier, the Diamond Concierge. Starting Your Own Business: Eyes Wide Open
COL/JNE Apurva Bhansali
CAREER Starting a business of your own is very tough. Doing so as a Jain can present even bigger challenges. The end results can vary from tremendous success to heartbreaking failure - and everything in-between. We will explore firsthand experiences from the business world and examine how following Jainism can give you an instrumental advantage by enabling you become an Agent of Change.
Superstars and Tirthankars
HS Akash Shah
EDUCATION What do Steve Jobs, Kobe Bryant, Lionel Messi, and Mahavir Swami have in common? A lot more than you'd expect! Join this session to dive into how these iconic trailblazers can provide us with lessons to apply into our own journey through spirituality.
Sustainability of Jainism
HS/COLIJNE Amit Jain
SOCIAL IMPACT Have you ever wondered: How can I leave this world a better place? What kind of people do I want to live with? How do you see the future? How important is time management? Join this session for group discussions around these topics and more!
The Best is Yet to come
HS Manda Pokharna
SOCIAL IMPACT "If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough." - Meister Eckhart.
In this session, we will learn simple practices of gratitude that can reconnect us with the flow of life and keep us energized as
Agents of Change. Join us as we learn to become the co-creators of our lives rather than the victims of our circumstances. 36
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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
The Harmony of Religious Diversity
HS/COL Pravin Shah
INTERFAITH After thousands of years of searching, man's search for God and self has led down many roads. The result has been the enormous diversity of religious expressions found worldwide. It branches out into endless varieties of Hinduism, the emptiness of Buddhism, the self-control of Jainism, and the harmonious approach of Sikhism. It includes the monotheism of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and even the oriental philosophies of Shinto, Taoism, and Confucianism. Get ready for a powerful learning experience as we highlight the similarities and philosophical differences of our world's major faiths. The Hidden Value of Time
COL Priya Gulecha
LIFESTYLE Time is an essential part of life. If we know how to value time correctly - which with advent of technology has gotten harder and harder to do - we can become powerful Agents of Change in the fast-paced culture around us. Time invested in the right direction will create the right values and positive changes we need, but creating that transformation within you is a personal process that takes courage. Explore how you can find the right balance in your lifestyle and achieve your personal goals!
The Holocaust, Slavery and YOU! Jainism and Ahimsa in the 21st Century
HS/COL/JNE Tushar Mehta
SOCIAL IMPACT This dynamic session will help you consider the meaning and application of the Jain Ahimsa philosophy in the context of modern world issues. First, we'll analyze the Jain philosophical definition of Ahimsa, and challenge the audience to rethink its definition. The presentation touches on the work of Jewish philosopher and sociologist Hanna Arendt - bringing in the nature of systemic violence as seen in the Holocaust, slavery, and the modern world. When does Ahimsa really matter? Who would you be during a Holocaust?
JNE
The Importance of Samayik in our Modern Day Lives Srikumar Menon
EDUCATION In our fast paced lives, we need a way to unplug from the material concerns and attachments that distract us. One of the greatest tools in Jainism to do this is the Samayik -a 48 minute ritual where Jains can meditate, study the Sutras, and understand the significance of ancient texts. In this session you'll learn about other forms of right conduct (Samyag Charitra) and understand the significance that the Samayik can have on your day to day life.
The Importance of the Jain Agams
HS/COL Srikumar Menon
EDUCATION It's surprising how little we have left of the Jain Agams - a treasure trove of knowledge in Jainism. This session will explore the importance of these scriptures and their modern applications. Growing up in a Hindu family while questioning the basic principles and philosophies he was raised with, Srikumar Menon will share his interesting journey as he was introduced to Jainism. At the end, this session will include a guided meditation.
The Jain Networker: Corporate & Business
COLINE Dharmang Shah
CAREER Have a business idea? Want to learn how to climb the corporate ladder? Be an Agent of Change and come join The Jain Networker in meeting and collaborating with Jains from all over the world. Whether you're pursuing the corporate track, you're an entrepreneur with a growing business, or in a position to help young Jains reach their goals, The Jain Networker is a great session that will enhance your skill sets and connect you with individuals that will enable you to create the change that you wish to see in the world.
The Modern Yogic: A New Science
HS/COLIJNE Priya Gulecha
LIFESTYLE Meditation and yoga helps us channel our energies and break free from our fears and limitations. It helps us realize our stored emotions in different parts of our body, like anger, stress, ego and jealousy. Join us for this interactive session on meditation and yoga to help balance your inner energy. This session will inspire you to be a better human being through both self-awareness and self-realization.
HS
The Poetry & Prose of Politics Parag Mehta
SOCIAL IMPACT There are many ways to become an Agent of Change. In our democracy, one of the most powerful ways is through civic engagement and political participation. Join strategist Parag Mehta for a workshop about how to engage your communities in this year's historic elections through voter education, registration, mobilization and turnout. He will lead an interactive discussion about the 2016 campaigns - up and down the ballot -- and about how American Jains are in a position to shape the agenda and actually make America great (again). AGENTS OF CHANGE
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We want to
build the youth of our community
by helping them actually build communities.

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REAL ESTATE LLC
Harshad Dharod, CEO of Silverstar Real Estate LLC,
has built an extensive real estate
portfolio and wants to help our youth in building one as well. If you are interested in learning about or working in investment real estate, feel free to contact
Harshad Dharod at: harshad.dharodOffcorp.org

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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
The Roller Coaster Ride of Entrepreneurship
COL/JNE Chirag Shah, Apurva Bhansali, Surekha Jain, Neal Daftary
CAREER Have dreams of being an entrepreneur? Does the idea of starting or running your own business get your heart pumping? Join this session to listen to four different speakers talk about their experiences with starting their own business, running a company, managing others, and doing it all while applying Jainism to their work. Bring your own questions and speak to the panelists individually afterwards!
The Transient World: Nothing Lasts Forever
JNE Fulchand Shastri
EDUCATION This session provokes critical thinking and fights the false belief and delusion within you. Get ready to identify permanence and impermanence and learn the truth about the transient nature of the world so that you can widen your perspective. In this session, you'll learn to accept circumstances that arise externally and enhance your ability to deal with them - with improved wisdom, a balanced state of mind, and the awareness of the Soul. Right Knowledge is only achieved with exposure to the truth - the truth about the transient nature of reality itself. The Truth Behind the Mask Amit Shah
LIFESTYLE Come and take a look behind the mask of those who struggle with mental health issues. During this session we will be exploring topics that typically remain unspoken within our Indian community. We will also learn about how to help loved ones who are struggling. Let's take off this mask together.
JNE
Transforming Culture With Storytelling
HS/COL/JNE Amit Dodani
SOCIAL IMPACT In a world in which a chaotic, fear-based painting drawn by the media often overshadows our personal experiences, human stories are our sole source of connectivity. Our narratives transcend the walls erected by our differences in race, gender, sexuality, and ethnicity. We should use them as a means to connect, a means to empower, and a means to organize among our communities. If we are able to recognize their exceptional value, a world seeming far too vast to unite may start to try. This session will talk about how we can use our narratives effectively to positively transform culture. Veganism? Yeah, Right!
HS/COLIJNE Tushar Mehta
LIFESTYLE Have you ever heard someone say: "I kinda get some of that vegan stuff but I could never give up ice cream. Veganism is a bit extreme." This is a funny and slightly embarrassing story of a formerly reluctant vegan...Me. In this session, we'll go over some of the solid environmental and health benefits along with the connection to the Jain Ahimsa philosophy. We'll also talk about some amazing practical pointers to make veganism (or partial veganism) tasty, healthy, and awesome for you. Learn how you can wow your carnivore friends in just a few minutes - Veganism can be unexpectedly easy and amazing! Virtues: A Bridge to Happiness
HS/COL Parul Kothari
SOCIAL IMPACT The Jain religion today is far different from what it once was 2500 years ago. Not only have there been large reforms, but the religion has adapted and evolved - often to stay alive. Then we must ask ourselves, should the same principles guide our actions and decisions in our modern-day lives? When so much has been lost, can we still build a spiritual trust with ourselves, our families, and our communities in an effort to promote happiness and prosperity? How do we fit the significance of values and kashays in our day-to-day practices to become more virtuous humans? Let's find out together! Walk With Me Through the Pathway to More Success
HS/COLINE Avish K Jain
LIFESTYLE Growing up in a multicultural environment, it's often hard to keep up with faith and religion. Growing up in a strict household, it's even harder to follow your passions and dreams. This interactive session will explore a story on how it's possible to pursue your personal and professional goals simultaneously in even the most adverse conditions. Keeping the principles of Jainism in mind and working with drive and motivation, you too can be an Agent of Change-or rather, in the wise words of DJ Khaled, a major key to success!
Walking the Path to Change: Making Vegan Shoes
COLIJNE Paras Doshi
SOCIAL IMPACT A few years ago, Paras realized that he wanted to change the direction of his career by starting a venture that would combine a desire
to solve a problem, harness a need to be creative, and give back to what he believed in. This summer, Paras will launch a line of vegan shoes and accessories serving people looking for quality, fashionable products and giving back to human, animal and
environmental non-profits. www.doshifcsa.com 40
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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
Wellness For Life
HS/COL/JNE Nitin Shah, Manu Shah
LIFESTYLE JAINA has embarked on the journey to improve the health of the Jain community. The first wellness program was done at the Jain Center of Southern California for 6 months in 2012, with nearly 500 participants. In this session we will describe our experiences and results from 2012, lay out the JWell (JAINA Wellness for Life) plan for all Jain organizations, and discuss ways to spread this message to our community all across North America. As Agents of Change, you are the key to helping promote wellness amongst our Jain communities! With blessings from the Wellness Program.
What Can Anekantavada Do For You?
HS Priyal Gandhi
EDUCATION You're never too young to engage in meaningful dialogue with your Jain and non-lain peers about the many topics that affect our lives on a day-to-day basis - from minority rights and social justice to microaggressions and foreign policies. Don't know what these terms mean? No problem! Come with an open mind and get excited to learn from your peers in this interactive session, where we bring back the relevance of Anekantvada to the American 21st century.
What Harvard Couldn't Teach Me: Lessons Learned from my sister
HS/COL/JNE Rushabh Kapashi
EDUCATION Last year my sister, Nisha Kapashi, became the first American-born Indian to become a Jain Maharajsaheb. Her Diksha ceremony took place on January 18, 2015 at the holy tirth of Shikharji. She gave up a promising career at J. Crew in New York City in search of something far more promising - permanent happiness. The ancient teachings of Jainism are extremely applicable to our modern lives - 1 have witnessed this first hand - both as a Partner at McKinsey in NYC and at home with my family. Relive my sister's journey and find out how she aided in transforming my professional and personal life. Who? What? Why? Q&A with Samanijis
HS/COL/JNE Samani Suyasnidhi, Samani Shrutnidhi, Samani Shreenidhi
EDUCATION Your professor asks you whether you believe the universe is eternal; your friends ask you why you fast for eight days in September. Next thing you know you're wondering about the real purpose of a Samayik and just how deep the rabbit hole of the Navkar Mantra really goes. Bring your own questions and join this session for a chance to listen to three Samanijis resolve your doubts and give you interesting and truthful answers!
Women in the Workplace
COL/JNE Riddhi Jain
CAREER In this session, we will consider topics all women should think about during their careers. We'll discuss ways you can make small changes to advance your professional and personal relationships - including philosophies from Sheryl Sandburg, Amy Cuddy, Katy Kay and Claire Shipman. Together, let's find out how we can bring about positive change in our professional careers!
Writing an Irresistible Résumé: Hosted by Young Jain Professionals
HS/COL/JNE Neal Daftary
CAREER What does it take for your résumé to get noticed amongst a stack of similar looking pieces of paper? A résumé is a vital tool for the job market as well as college admissions and student employment. This session covers foundational résumé concepts including identifying appropriate sections, layout, and writing effective bullet points. Tips for improving the objective, matching your skills with the opportunity, and résumé length, will all be discussed. Join us if you're creating your first résumé or looking to make sure you're on the right track! Yoga Each Day Keeps the Doctor Away
COLIJNE Nehal Bhansali
LIFESTYLE Today we have Obamacare, and tomorrow maybe even free BernieCare, but did you know that Yogi Patanjali offered us free YogaCare thousands of years ago? In this session, we'll compare and contrast modern medicine vs. ancient Ayurveda and Yoga to find the optimal "health plan" that will keep us healthy within our minds, bodies and souls. This session will challenge you to step outside your comfort zone of relying on the healthcare industry to "fix" your problems and explore spirituality and Yoga as Agents of Change as we shift our perspectives on how to stay healthy.
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Aanya Gandhi
Aanya is a rising junior at Virginia Commonwealth University studying Marketing with a concentration in Product and Brand Management. She is involved in many organizations whether it be in business or planning the first ever premier Raas competition in Richmond, VA (like the facebook page River City Raas!). You can 11/10 find Aanya dancing, watching something related to Disney, and singing. Though she also aspires to be a Bollywood actress, her dream is to serve the underprivileged children in India. If you see Aanya around and say a pun or two, I guarantee y'all will become fast friends!
Adit Shah
Adit Shah recently graduated from Baruch College with a degree in Finance and a minor in Economics. He was born and brought up in NYC, thus a HUGE NY sports fan (especially the Mets! #LGM). In his free time he enjoys watching crime dramas, wearing creative ties, pretending to eat healthy, and exploring new foods. Adit is extremely excited to be a part of the convention committee as a Site Co-Lead after spending a year as New York's LR.
Akash Shah
Akash Shah is our board member with the most life experience. This is a nice way of calling him the oldest. He is native to Los Angeles and has worked to bring creative solutions to diverse industries. Whether it is his work as a brand strategist, an entrepreneur assisting in the launch of multiple products/businesses, his work in real estate development and reconstruction, or even as simple as his passion for choreography, Akash has always been about pushing the envelope. The past has given us a foundation, and it is now our job to build on it - this is an idea and philosophy that he is incredibly excited to bring to this year's convention committee.
Amit Dodani
Amit is a rising sophomore and Robertson Scholar at the University of North Carolina. When he was 14, he founded My Name My Story, an organization that inspires empathy in young changemakers across the country. What started off as a little project, has turned into a movement for thousands of high schoolers. Amit has a passion for storytelling and has spoken to over 50,000 people on the topic of empathy at organizations like Teach for America and Yale University. My Name My Story has been recognized by organizations like Scholastic, Jefferson Awards, and Ashoka for their work.
Amit Jain
Amit is an 'Ecowarrior' determined to mitigate climate change through his professional and personal projects. He currently is Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability for Pharmavite, the Makers of Nature Made®. He was Entrepreneurship Graduate Student of the Year in 2005 and Kauffman Internship Award-winner at Loyola Marymount University, where he did his MBA. He is a LEED Accredited Professional with a Certificate in Sustainable Business Management from UC Irvine. Amit has held various leadership roles for YJA including Co-Chair of the 2008 convention in Chicago.
Amit Shah
Amit Shah is from Chicago, IL. Born and raised in the Midwest, he is an Indian at heart, and dresses as if he's from England! He is one of this year's Convention Co-Chairs. Amit is excited to come back for the third time as a session speaker! He is ready to give you a new insight on a subject very close to him.
Anant Vijay
Anant is a native from Toronto, Canada, but spent his early years in India. He graduated from Western University with a degree in Accounting, and is currently working in corporate finance. He discovered his personal spirituality a few years ago and formed a group for other like-minded youth, called 'World Spiritual Awareness Forum: Toronto', currently has a member base of over 200 individuals of various faiths. Anant and the Board have embarked on a journey to spread spirituality through an educational process. We aim for selfless service and to help others achieve their spiritual goals.
Anish Doshi
Anish is a 3rd year student at UC Berkeley studying computer science. He currently serves as the Chief Technology Officer for the Center for Critical Interdisciplinary Studies, an organization
devoted to critically analyzing the importance of morality and humanism, and the role technology has in defining social good. Anish is also a member of Effective Altruists at Berkeley, which uses statistics to evaluate the impact of different types of charitable work.
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Anjali Doshi Anjali Doshi recently graduated Columbia University with a BA in Biophysics, and will be starting her MS in Biomedical Engineering at Columbia in the fall. She was a Pathshala teacher at JSMC and has been a player, moderator, and an administrator for Jain Academic Bowl at several JAINA and YJA conventions. She was honored to receive the JAINA Youth Recognition Award in 2013. She has been vegan since YJA 2008 and is always excited to try vegan desserts. Her favorite principle in Jainism is the idea of Anekantvaad, which inspires her to try to be tolerant and open-minded to other viewpoints.
Anjali Lalani Anjali is the author of Vegetarian Gastronomy, a website dedicated to 100% Vegan Cooking. She is a mom of two beautiful kids, & wife to an amazing husband. She studied at UC Berkeley and UC San Diego and has a Masters' Degree in Bioengineering. She worked as an engineer for 10 years, giving up her job to raise her kids and pursue her passion in cooking through her blog. She converted to a 100% vegan diet over a year ago after being Vegetarian all her life. Anjali hopes to inspire others to cook, create, and learn how simple it can be to cultivate a healthy and delicious plant-based lifestyle.
Ankit Shah Ankit is currently the managing partner at the Dopamine Agency, the world's leading agency focused on designing for behavior. At Dopamine, Ankit leads both strategy and design areas while also managing the day to day. Prior to Dopamine, Ankit served as the behavior design lead for Emerging Technology at Bank of America and was a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. Ankit is heavily involved in both for and non-profit advisory roles. Serving as an EIR at two ventures firms and an advisor at two venture backed startups helps Ankit stay immersed in today's technology world while also advising non-profits on helping drive behavior for social change.
Apurva Bhansali Apurva is the founder and CEO of Softex, the company he started in 1992 alongside his father, Mahendra, Today, Softex is a leading provider of biometric and other security software. Located in Austin, TX, Softex was named as one of Inc. 500 Magazine's Top 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies in 2000. He was involved in the creation of the Jain Sangh of Greater Austin, served as President, and is now on the Executive Committee of the Austin Jain Community Center currently under construction. He lives with his wife, Nehal, and two kids, Ayush and Ashna.
Arpit Mehta Arpit is a Bioinformatics Scientist working with University of Miami, he has published research in human genomics in top journals of this area. He has special interest in Jainism as a science of life. He was a former Director of Education for YJA and presently Director of PR for YJP. He won the Jain youth leadership award at JAINA in 2015.
Ashok Domadia Ashok Domadia has served JAINA for the last 10 years and is the current JAINA President. He was instrumental in hosting the first Badi Diksha outside India in 2011 at JCNC in the Bay Area. As the Founder and Chairman of the AINA Campus Outreach Committee for Youths, Ashok initiated a program to link Jain college students with local jain communities. As the global community discovers the value of Jainism, he hopes that JAINA, with your help as Agents of Change can lead the world in this revolution for ecological awareness, animal rights, nonviolence, and vegetarianism/veganism.
Avish K. Jain Avish is from Freehold, NJ, & will be attending Drexel University's College of Medicine this fall. He has been classically trained in Hindustani music and has been performing in the tri-state area for 14 years (check out his Facebook page, 'Musical Avish',for covers posted every week!). He hosted his own radio show for 4 years and was a dancer on Philadelphia's Broad Street Baadshahz for 3. He founded Roshan Care Foundation, a non-profit organization in the name of his grandfather, to raise funds for those in need. This is his first YJA convention, and he is really excited to meet everyone!
Avni Shah Avni Shah is an architect and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, CA. In her professional work, Avni is engaged in working with neighborhoods and communities to design thoughtful spaces in urban environments. She combines her background in architecture and development with social and environmental initiatives. Avni is currently directing and producing a documentary on the role of mega-projects in transforming cities. Coming soon, White Elephants' investigates the lessons learned and legacy from the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
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Binoy Shah
Binoy Shah is a current 3rd year medical student in the 6 year B.A./M.D. program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. He is passionate about providing healthcare to underprivileged areas and hopes to one day make a positive difference in his home country, India. In his free time he enjoys playing both soccer on the field and FIFA. Furthermore, he enjoys making a fool of himself by impersonating Batman, making bruschettas, and coming up with medical pick-up lines: "Hey girl, are you my SA node? Because you make my heart beat."
Bonita Parikh
Bonita Parikh is a Partner Manager at Hewlett Packard, Inc. In her spare time she likes to try out new workout classes, cook everything but Indian food, and hangout with family & friends. She has been involved with YJA for longer than she can remember, and is really looking forward to this year's convention!
Charul Chandra
Charul, a native from Mumbai, India, is in the final year of her postgraduate courses in Engineering and Technology Management from NMIMS University. She has represented India in Harvard World Model United Nation Conferences and founded MPSTME Toastmasters International Chapter which nurtures Public Speaking and Leadership skills in students. Her introduction to the World Spiritual Awareness Forum and the teachings of her beloved Guru brought about an internal transformation - she now aims to be part of the social movement to spread Spirituality and aspires to make this world a better place.
Chintav Shah
Chintav is a New Jersey native and a fresh graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he studied Marketing, Operations, and Systems Engineering. He'll soon start working in consulting in the city of Philadelphia, and he enjoys learning about the deeper aspects of spirituality within Jainism and their connection to other religions around the world. He is YJA's Director of Education this year and is on the Daytime Programming Team that's bringing a variety of engaging and interactive sessions to the LA convention - which he hopes to look back and say was the best convention yet!
Chirag Shah
Chirag Shah is the Owner and President of CPS23 Marketing, a Tallahassee, Florida based digital and creative agency. CPS23 Marketing prides themselves on connecting their clients to their customers in just 23 days or less. After earning his B.S. in Marketing from the Florida State University, Chirag became very active in his community by serving on numerous boards ranging from advertising to advocating for pediatric diseases. Chirag derives all his inspiration and motivation for CPS23 from his 2 hard-working parents and his 4 caring sisters.
Dharmang Shah
Dharmang recently graduated from Cornell University with a focus on Real Estate Finance and Investments. Before that, he was a Risk Advisory consultant for Ernst & Young based out of Atlanta, GA. His corporate experience allowed him to gain exposure in various industries such as manufacturing, international banking, commercial real estate, and hospitality. Dharmang currently serves as the managing director for Pineapple Capital Group. His company helps source, structure, and originate debt/equity for single asset commercial real estate transactions, with a niche in hotels.
Dipal Savla
Dipal is a fourth year medical student at Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai. As an undergrad, she traveled to the Bidada Sarvodaya Trust Hospital in Kutch, Gujarat. While teaching young children about parasitic infections, she caught the global health bug and has been hooked ever since! She recently completed a fellowship in Global Health at Stanford University during which she traveled to India and Guatemala, learned Spanish, ate incredible food, and worked on interesting research.
Divyansh Shah
Divyansh Shah is a sophomore from Boston, Massachusetts, currently studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Michigan. He has been heavily involved with YJA for the past 4 years, serving twice as a Northeast Local Representative and twice as a Fundraising Subcommittee member. He is a huge Boston sports fan, and a fervent Tom Brady lover. He enjoys spending his free time playing soccer and football, hiking, and volunteering. If you want to hang out with Div, you may find him at the nearest Taco Bell.
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Diyaanka Jhaveri Diyaanka Jhaveri, originally from Plano, Texas, is a rising sophomore studying International Relations at the University of Texas (Hook em). This is her second convention and first year serving on the board, and she can't wait to experience all the fun that YJA is. While she is not fighting dragons, she is busy reading Harry Potter for the 30th time or trying to pretend she is Deepika Padukone. She is beyond excited to be a part of the Adult Volunteer Committee and is ready for a great 2016 Convention.
Fulchand Shastri Fulchand is the founder of Adhyatmik Sadhana Kendra in India, a non-profit organization involved in charitable, medical, educational, religious, and social activities for the under-privileged. He has written a collection of more than 35 books on spirituality, vegetarianism and nonviolence. He is fluent in 18 National and International languages. At the age of 19, he memorized 1500 religious shastras, and has given over 28000 lectures. Currently, he is on a mission to preserve and establish the Atma Siddhi Shastra. He has been an ardent devotee of Shrimad Rajchandra.
Hema Pokharna Dr. Pokharna is a scientist, writer, and speaker with more than 20 years of experience coaching towards wholeness, collaborative communication, and resilient leadership. Born and raised in India, Dr. Pokharna immigrated to the US where she worked for many years as a medical researcher while studying and training others worldwide in the practices of Mindfulness, Nonviolent Communication, and Appreciative Inquiry. She uses these practices to help clients stay connected to what inspires them and work under pressured and uncertain conditions - responding compassionately and effectively.
Hersh Jhaveri Dynamic Cousin Duo, Tanya and Hersh have conquered the Southern California Engagement Ring and Wedding Jewelry arena. Taking over their parents' business of 5 generations, they have added the American flavor and contemporary feel to all their trendy jewelry pieces. Tanya and Hersh are both graduates from the Gemological Institute of America in the field of Gemology; Hersh - the Diamond Specialist and Tanya - the Designer. Hersh sits on boards as Director of both the GIA Alumni LA Chapter as well as the Indian Diamond and Color Stone Association. Tanya and Hersh are also Junior Consultants/Ambassadors to the Diamond Club West Coast.
Houston Kraft Houston Kraft is a professional speaker, leadership consultant, and kindness advocate. He has spoken to nearly half a million students, staff, and parents across the country through nearly 400 events sharing his message of compassion, character, leadership, and love. He is the creator of the Choose Love Movement and CharacterStrong - an app and curriculum that focuses on habit development for your heart. When he isn't speaking, he is traveling the world with his wife, Harley, or playing a fierce game of lazertag.
GOOS
Jen Lee Jen is the Manager of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, a non-profit performing arts organization. She is currently pursuing a Project Management Certificate at UCI and PMP Certification. Jen holds a B.A. in Business Administration with dual concentrations in Accounting and Information Systems from CSU Fullerton. In college, Jen joined Delta Sigma Pi (a co-ed business fraternity) and has continued to serve on the national leadership team since graduation. Jen enjoys visiting friends across the country, exploring bookstores, and drinking coffee, lots of it.
Juhi Hegde Juhi is a rising senior at Notre Dame of Maryland University pursuing a biology degree on a pre-pharmacy track. She is very excited to be a part of hosting this year's convention as Public Relations co-lead and is looking forward to sunny California! She loves to sing, dance, read, and explore new places. She is also very active at the derasar and is very excited to be leading sessions for the first time!
Julie Mehta Julie is a third year student at the University of Maryland studying Neurobiology and Physiology, along with a minor in entrepreneurship. When Julie is not going to the derasar, you can find her playing tennis, planning new ideas for the next Maryland Masti, watching the newest Disney movies, or dancing (and singing) along to all the latest songs. This will be Julie's second YJA and she is very excited to build new friendships this year!
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Kanvi Shah Kanvi is a rising junior at Thomas Jefferson High for Science and Technology in Northern VA. She's a dedicated student, but also loves going out with her friends. She spends much of her time in her school's theater department, stage managing and acting. She finds herself interested in learning how to apply Jainism in her everyday life.
Kayuri Shah Kayuri was born in Elizabethton, Tennessee, but has lived most of her life in Northern Virginia. She is a rising senior at Virginia Commonwealth University, majoring in Biomedical Engineering, while working at a hospital. When she thinks no one's looking, she's probably dancing with her headphones in. She's part of a classical dance team, Thandavam. Her weakness is her major sweet tooth. Her hobbies include baking, reading sci-fi novels, and swimming. This is her second time on convention board and her fourth convention. #DaytimelsBetter Than Nighttime
Keya Pasad Keya was born and raised in Mumbai, India as well as raised in Owensboro, KY for the later half of her life. She is currently a senior at Western Kentucky University majoring in Business Management with the emphasis on Marketing and Human Resources. She is excited to attend her fourth YJA Convention and to visit LA! She can't wait to meet new people and reconnect with all of her friends. She somehow survives her long distance relationship for the past four years, even though it's tough. In her free time, she likes to go shopping and is a coffee addict, especially to Starbucks.
Khyati Shah Khyati is an Agent and Financial Service Professional at New York Life. She lives with her husband in San Diego, CA. Khyati has a B.S. in Accounting and a CPA license. She is excited to work with people in her community by providing peace of mind and helping them reach their financial goals.
Kinari Shah Kinari is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan, where she majored in Biopsychology, Cognition, & Neuroscience and minored in Art History with a focus on South Asian arts. She is also a lifelong student of Bharatanatyam. This fall, she will begin her master's at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to focus on Social and Behavioral Interventions in International Health and Vaccine Policy.
Kokila Doshi Dr. Kokila P. Doshi is a professor of Economics at the University of San Diego, and is teaching a course on Jainism at San Diego State University. She has presented at JAINA, YJA and area colleges and has received the JAINA Recognition Award for her leadership. She founded pathshala and educational activities at the Jain Society of San Diego. At USD, Dr. Doshi contributes to the Center for Peace and Commerce, and has been nominated as the Ashoka-Changemaker Faculty for her leadership in changemaking initiatives and research on poverty and social innovation.
Krutak Shah Krutak Shah is an upcoming sophomore at The University of Pittsburgh. He's from the Greater Boston area and has been attending YJA conventions since Tampa in 2012 so this year will mark his third. He has also been actively involved in regional YJA events such as the Northeast/Midwest Poconos Retreat along with the YJA Northeast Retreat. He likes [jain) pizza and long walks on the beach.
Mahima Shah Mahima Shah is a first year college student at Cornell University, double majoring in Computer Science and Economics. She is currently part of the 2016 YJA Daytime Programming Convention Committee and was the 2015 YJA Director of Education. Mahima has been very interested in Jainism from a young age, and hopes to communicate the importance of the religion in interesting and engaging ways to today's youth.
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Manda Pokharna Dr. Manda Pokharna is a practicing human being, learning skills to grow and liberate herself. She is trained in Nonviolent Communications (NVC) with Marshall Rosenberg, founder of NVC. She practices medicine in Chicago, and has been practicing Aikido (martial art of harmony) for 5 years to further enable her abilities of managing conflict in a loving and constructive way. She serves as a team leader at work. She has served as the President on the board of Health and Happiness for 2 years. She has been a regular presenter at the JAINA and YJA conventions for the last 8 years.
Manu Shah Manu Shah is the co-founder and CEO of MS International, Inc. (MSI), a natural stone and porcelain distributor. He started his company in the basement of his home and has now grown to the largest distributor of natural stone in the world. Manu has been involved with the Jain Center of Southern California (ICSC) for over 20 years. They founded the Sarva Mangal Family Trust (SMFT) and have sponsored and donated to many philanthropic causes through it. SMFT sponsored the JCSC Wellness Challenge in 2012, to bring awareness to the obesity and cardiac disease epidemic among South Asian immigrants.
Megha Kadakia Megha Kadakia brings a unique blend of business experience and artistic vision to the world of independent filmmaking through her production company, Blue Velocity Pictures. With her husband, Saurabh Kikani, Mr. Kicks and Lady Megs produced Miss India America. Kadakia's producing projects have received wide acclaim, garnering her entry into the Film Independent Producer's Workshop and the Producer's Network at the Cannes Film Festival. She holds an MBA from Columbia University, and serves on the boards of Creative Visions Foundation and America India Foundation.
Mihir Shah Mihir was born and raised in sunny SoCal (Go Lakers & Dodgers!). He is a Technical Project Manager and Senior Data Analyst with Providence Health & Services and based in Burbank, CA. He graduated from the University of California, Irvine with degrees in both Applied Mathematics and Economics. While at UCI, he joined Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed national community service fraternity, where he continues to serve as advisory chairman and on other various boards. It is through these experiences that he has learned that communication is a major key to success in any endeavor.
Monica Vora Monica has recently moved to Atlanta, GA in order to pursue her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Emory University. She graduated in May from MCPHS University in Boston, MA with her Bachelor of Science in Pre-Medical and Health Studies. Some of her hobbies include drawing, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends. Monica is super excited to explore the Southeast and what it has to offer. However, she will always be a true Patriots fan!
Mrunal Gandhi Mrunal Gandhi recently finished his first year at the University of California, Irvine School of Law and is currently spending his summer working with veterans on a bevy of legal issues ranging from expungements to small business incorporations. Prior to law school, Mrunal worked on an assortment of corporate transactions at a prominent Orange County based law firm and he plans to use that experience to pursue a career in transactional law with an emphasis on securities regulation.
Neal Daftary Neal is an entrepreneur and currently owns and operates a hospitality management company. He has a MBA specializing in Strategic Management from the University of Texas at Dallas and two Bachelor of Science de grees in Sociology and Business Administration from the Texas A&M University and University of Texas at Dallas, respectively. He enjoys much of his time volunteering through various non-profit organizations. Currently, he serves as Co-Chair for Young Jain Professionals and National President & CEO for Delta Epsilon Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Neelam Savla Neelam is a Senior Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission at the University of Southern California and just recently graduated with her Masters in Education. As a Los Angeles native, she loves going on outdoor adventures, especially hikes that include views of the ocean. She is one of this year's JNF Committee Co-Leads and is excited to welcome YJA back to the west coast.
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Nehal Bhansali Nehal worked as an Occupational Therapist until 2000, specializing in stroke rehab. After taking a break to raise her 2 kids, she got certified as a Yoga Therapist in 2010. Since then, she has used her background to start her business, Pranayoga Therapy, to provide holistic treatment for physical, mental and emotional conditions through yoga therapy. Nehal started the Jain Pathshala in Austin, TX in 2004 and is currently teaching the middle and high school students. She is also leading the religious planning committee of the Austin Jain Community Center that is currently under construction.
Niharika Sethi Niharika currently resides in Toronto, Canada but was born in New Delhi, India. She has completed her education from York University in Social Sciences. Niharika believes in personal growth and raising your consciousness to lead a better life. She wishes to inspire and motivate other youth to walk this path, through activities such as yoga and meditation. She is a part of the "World Spiritual Awareness Forum' which is a platform created by like-minded individuals to spread the message of 'Seva', and balancing a modern life filled with traditional values.
Nilesh Dagli Nilesh Dagli is a certified public accountant working for an accounting firm in the Chicago area. He is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, where he majored in Economics. Nilesh attended pathshala in Detroit for 14 years, where he learned the foundational principles of Jainism and worked toward incorporating those in his daily life.
Nirav Shah Nirav Shah is an aerospace engineer, focusing on satellite design. Born in New York and raised on Long Island, he completed his PhD from MIT in 2012 and lives near Los Angeles, CA. With an ongoing interest in interfaith dialog, Nirav was a fellow of the Addir Interfaith Program at MIT that serves to bridge faith groups on campus. Nirav has presented at several YJA, YJP and JAINA conferences as well as local temple events in Boston and Chicago.
Nitin Shah Dr. Nitin Shah is Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at Loma Linda University and Chief of Surgical ICU at Long Beach VAHS. He is Chair of the JAINA Wellness Committee and has been organizing free Community Health Fairs throughout SoCal and the US for the last 24 years. Dr. Shah is Past President of Jain Center of Southern California (CSC) and Anekant Community Center, a non-religious, not for profit organization that was founded by JCSC members to carry out various humanitarian activities. Dr. Shah also organizes International Medical/Surgical missions throughout the world.
Pankti Gala Pankti is a rising third year at Drexel University in Philadelphia. She is originally from the Philadelphia area and adores the City of Brotherly Love. This is her first year on YJA Executive Board and her third convention. Some of her hobbies include teaching, volunteering, and cooking. This year, Pankti serves as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Coordinator on Executive Board and a Souvenirs Committee Co-Lead on Convention Committee.
Parag Mehta Parag Mehta is a communications specialist who has worked in politics and community organizing for 16 years. He serves as Chief of Staff for U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. He previously directed communications for a civil rights agency at the U.S. Department of Labor and served as a public liaison on President Obama's Transition Team. As a Presidential Management Fellow, he worked as a speechwriter for the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. He is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin and the Maxwell School at Syracuse University.
Paras Doshi A USC MBA, Paras has been spent the majority of his career with the City of Los Angeles. He has managed technology projects for the Los Angeles Police Department, issued billions of dollars of debt at the City Administrative Office and saved millions of dollars making ground transportation systems at Los Angeles International Airport more efficient.
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Parul Kothari
Parul Kothari lives in San Diego, CA where she has been a Pathshala teacher since 1996, and coordinator since 2000. She has written and directed various plays at the derasar such as Chandanbala, Unity in Diversity and Munnabhai met Mahavir. She is a past president and Trustee of the Jain Society of San Diego, and is a JAINA representative. She has previously spoken at YJP and the Swami Vivekananda Dharma conventions.
Pinita Shah
Pinita is an attorney in California who works as a legal compliance consultant for several Fortune 500 companies. What makes Pinita interesting is not what she chooses to do for work, but what she chooses to do with her life. By the age of 32 Pinita has owned and sold her own event planning business, worked as a professional choreographer for shows like CW's 90210, traveled the world, and still finds time to be a Pathshala teacher at the Jain Center. She is excited to come to YJA as a speaker and volunteer and is hoping to bring her experience and insight to a new generation of Jain youth.
Poojan Mehta
Poojan is a proud native of Raleigh, North Carolina. Being raised as a Tar Heel, he is currently a Sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, pursuing a degree in Finance. Set to graduate in 2019, he hopes to enter the finance industry and one day own his own business. In his spare time, Poojan enjoys golfing, watching football, and spending time with his friends and family.
Prachi Shah
Prachi is a senior at the University of Connecticut studying Digital Marketing and Analytics. She is actively involved on campus as President of a Business Fraternity, an executive board member of the Pan-Asian Council, and member of various dance teams. Prachi has been working for Cigna, a health insurance company, for the past year now as their Social Listening Analyst. She is an avid user and enthusiast of LinkedIn and as a business professional, she would like to spread her knowledge of the social media world onto her fellow Jain peers.
Prakhar Bhandari
Prakhar is a fourth year student at the University of Pennsylvania pursuing a BSE and MSE in computer science. He's interested in entrepreneurship and software development and in his free time, he enjoys running, cooking, and photography.
Pravin Shah
Pravin K. Shah is a founding member of Jain Study Center of North Carolina (Raleigh). He is the JAINA Education Committee chairperson and advisor to the YJA and YJP youth organizations. He is also a member of the Harvard University Pluralism Project Advisory Council and director of Triangle Interfaith Association since 2002 and Uberoi Foundation of Dharmic tradition since 2008. He has published several articles and books that are in use by thousands of Jain youth across North America. He is a retired Electrical Engineer from IBM and lives in Raleigh North Carolina, USA.
Priya Gulecha
Priya is a resident of Bangalore, India. She was born in Bangalore but brought up in a residential school, where she became an independent thinker and decision maker. At a very young age she decided to walk the path of spirituality. She hopes to motivate the young generation to walk the path of yoga, pranayama & meditation. Priya has been healing and meditating for a long time and has initiated a value education program called 'ARCH', a choice to new direction which spreads the message of attitude, relationships, character building & habits.
Priyal Gandhi
Priyal was born in Mumbai but has lived in Kansas and Northern Virginia for most of her life, and she is a rising fourth year pre-med student at the University of Virginia majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Women and Gender Studies. Priyal loves community service, art, music, dancing, and all things Disney. She has served as YJA Director of Education, Daytime Programming Co-Lead, and session speaker, and is so excited to come back as an attendee speaker! Come find her at convention to talk about the intersection of Jainism and real world problems.
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Priyanka Vora Priyanka is a doctor, having graduated from medical school in Ahmedabad, India. She then attended Columbia University for her Masters of Public Health. She now lives in Cincinnati and works in the Healthcare IT field. She is passionate about individual and community health. In her spare time, she watches Friends, Game of Thrones, and re-reads Harry Potter!
Puja Savla Puja Savla is currently a second year Biology teacher at Animo Inglewood Charter High School, and she is also a Pathshala teacher at the Jain Center of Southern California. She is an avid LA sports fan, rooting for her USC Trojans, LA Lakers, LA Kings and newly arrived LA Rams. In her free time she spends time with family and friends and enjoys playing board games and taking bike rides down the Pacific coast. She has been a part of YJA over the last few years as a Local Representative, West Regional Coordinator and now as Co-Chair.
Pujen Solanki Pujen is a Computer Scientist who loves to cook from California. He is an entrepreneur with a successful Design and Development company as well as a co-founder of a Los Angeles based event production company. He diligently capitalizes on all opportunities that will lead to an increasingly positive venture for himself and others. He's excited to be a part of the 2016 Convention Committee as a Registration Co-Lead.
Purvi Shah Purvi is an IT Project Manager at Cigna in Connecticut, and is also pursuing her MBA degree in Business Analytics. She is also a Bollywood dancer and teacher. She is very active in her local Jain and Indian community, and has been serving on the board of the India Association of Central Connecticut for the past 3 years. This is her 4th YJA convention and she is truly excited to be a speaker this year!
Raj Kankaria 1LT Raj Kankaria, a native of Houston, TX, graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in May, 2013. 1LT Kankaria has been stationed in FT Hood, TX and Camp Humphreys, Republic of Korea. He currently serves as a Bridge Platoon Leader of 48 soldiers in the 74th Multi-Role Bridge Company, Task Force Ready Battalion, Camp Humphreys, Republic of Korea,
Ramey ko Ramey ko is a partner with the law firm of Jung Ko, PLLC. He also teaches Business Law and Ethics in the MBA program at Texas Health & Science University. In 2010, Ramey was appointed an Associate Municipal Judge, the first Asian American judge in Travis County, and served through 2013. From 2010 to 2014, Ramey served on President Obama's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Ramey graduated from Yale University in 2002 with a degree in history and with honors from the University of Chicago Law School in 2006. He is diagnosed Bipolar II with Anxiety.
Rapir Dedhia Rapir Dedhia is from Southern California and has a Secondary English Teaching Credential. He is currently completing his Masters in Education at the University of California, Irvine.
Ravi Doshi He is your basketball-loving, sock collecting, music junkie: Ravi Doshi. Attending Emory University, he is studying Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology along with Mathematics and Economics. He would never turn down long drives, meeting new people, and giving old things new purpose. He's always thinking, so if you see him be sure to ask him what's going on up there.
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SPEAKERS
Rea Savla Rea was born and raised in the suburbs of Massachusetts and is currently a freshman at UC Berkeley intending to major in Economics and Political Science She is involved in her school's bhangra team, political review magazine staff, and student government. Her other passions include singing, public service, long and heated political discussions, and spending time with her friends and family. This will be her 2nd YJA convention and first as a Social Events co-lead.
Riddhi Jain Riddhi has a passion for working within her local and global community. From starting an Engineers Without Borders chapter to tutoring math to homeless children she keeps herself busy. Professionally, she has worked as a Systems Engineer and Operations Manager at a variety of companies, industries, and settings that has given her a breadth of experience. Riddhi was also the 2008 YJA Chicago Convention Co-chair and been active in the Jain community. She is taking a break from these passions after bringing in a new little Jain into the world recently.
Ronak M. Shah Ronak Shah is an Associate in Corporate Client Banking at JPMorgan. She spent her first few years at the firm in the Investment Bank working in Oil & Gas, Ronak graduated from the University of Texas in Austin in 2013. She's excited to share her professional experiences with YJA attendees!
Ronak Shah Ronak Shah is an exceptional pharmacist for Kroger. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati with his Doctorate of Pharmacy in 2013. He currently lives in the heart of downtown Cincinnati. Along with working as a pharmacy manager, he also spends a great deal of his time with patients on improving their diet and lifestyle. His favorite hobbies include financial investing, working out, cooking new recipes, and exploring new places.
Ruhee Jain Ruhee is a fourth year college student at the University of Pittsburgh studying public health. This past year, Ruhee served as president of Pitt Jain Student Association and this will be her second YJA convention. Outside of school, Ruhee enjoys painting, yoga and playing tennis. She's looking forward to meeting more young Jains in LA!
Rushabh Kapashi Rushabh Kapashi is a Partner with McKinsey & Company in New York. He serves clients in the financial services sector across Europe, Asia, and the US. Previously, he was a William J. Clinton Fellow with the American India Foundation and an investment banker with Goldman Sachs. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, a MPhil from the University of Cambridge, a Bachelor of Science in Economics from The Wharton School, and a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Pennsylvania.
Saejal Chatter Saejal is a rising senior at Georgetown University studying Economics and Computer Science. An ardent writer, Saejal enjoys reading, writing, and editing all genres. She is passionate about anything and everything involving spending time with friends and family and loves trying new, adventurous activities! Serving as a Security Committee Co-Lead this year, she aims to provide a secure physical setting for all attendees in order to create a comfortable mental setting- one that fosters dialogue, debate, and determination.
Sagar Khona Sagar is a proud New Yorker, raised in Syosset, NY. He is in his final year at Stony Brook pursuing a masters in healthcare informatics. He hopes to graduate in the summer of 2017. After attending the last four conventions and being on board, Sagar is excited to help out in this convention as a panel speaker. Being involved in a 900 miles long distance relationship, for the last 4 years he hopes to spread his knowledge and insight from his experiences. Sagar is very excited to participate in this year's convention.
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52
SPEAKERS
Sagar Shah
Sagar is an engineer by profession. He got intrigued to know more about Jain Philosophy when he read about the six substances of the universe and that there are particles that carry sound. This was very similar to what he read in Quantum Physics as a student. The scientific aspects of Jainism enticed him to learn more about Jainism and how these principles can be applied to daily life.
Saman Shrutpragyaji
Saman Shrutpragyaji is one of the most articulate and charismatic young spiritual leaders of the new generation. He was born in Bhuj-Kutch and at the age of 20, he entered Sanyas Life. Samanji's teachings integrate ancient scriptures and modern science which validate our day to day experience and knowledge. He is on a mission to change the face of Jainism and modernize its presentation while ensuring that the core teachings remain the same. He has written more than 60 books, created CDs and DVDs on various subjects, such as self-management, inner power, spiritual awakening and Jain philosophy.
Saurabh Kikani
Saurabh Kikani is a transmedia storyteller who brings more than 10 years of comprehensive entertainment experience, focusing on writing and producing properties whose narratives spread across multiple media platforms. Kikani worked in the Business Affairs department of producer Ted Hope's production company This Is That Productions, home of Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind and 21 Grams as well as John Sloss' film sales, acquisitions and finance company, Cinetic Rights Management. Kikani holds a JD from Fordham University School of Law. He also does stand up comedy in his spare time.
Sean Gajjar
Hailing from the live music capital of the world, Sean is a recent Computer Engineering graduate from UT Austin. When he's not building the next generation of innovative software for HomeAway.com, he's teaching and performing different styles of cultural dance. He also loves acting in plays and creating innovative techie projects. When he's ready to wind down, he loves spending time with friends in a chill coffee/tea shop while discussing their next startup ideas.
Shandyn Pierce
Shandyn holds a degree in Philosophy from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and is attending law school this Fall. As a student, Shandyn taught a curriculum for the Prison Education Project, served as an Executive Board Member for the Black Student Union, and championed ethical concerns and considerations as senior member of the CPP Regional/National Ethics Bowl Team. He currently works as the Compliance Officer for a local corporation, and serves as a founding member of Enlightened Passionate Individuals of Color (EPIC).
Shrenik Shah
Shrenik Shah graduated from California State University, Fullerton. He studied Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance. He currently is a business specialist at Wells Fargo Bank. Some of his favorite hobbies include playing sports, snowboarding, dancing in the rain, and going on new adventures. He was part of a bhangra dance team in college. He co-founded his Los Angeles based event/production company, Shehnai Decor in 2010. He is one of this year's JNF co-leads. Westisbest!
Shreyal Gandhi
Shreyal will be entering her freshman year at Broad Run High School in Northern VA. She plays field hockey for the school team, spends a lot of time with her family, and finds a way to smile in every situation. When Shreyal realized how Jainism makes a difference in her life, she decided she wanted to share with others.
Siddhee Kasudia
Siddhee has been involved in YJA and JAINA for over 10 years. She has learned and applied a lot from these conventions and has always had a passion for giving back to the community. She volunteers at a senior neuro center when she's not working as an Air Traffic Controller. Siddhee has a love for food and enjoys international cuisine from her travels. She creates her own recipes and accommodates special food restrictions and diets -- like vegan, raw, diabetic, etc. She is dedicated to making dishes that are vegan and Jain that taste great and are not limited to Indian dishes.
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SPEAKERS
Simmi Nandu Simmi was born and raised in the dirty south, Dallas, TX - GO COWBOYS! She is a sophomore Chemical Engineering student at the University of Texas at Austin - hook 'em! Simmi is a Hospitality Co-Lead and has loved every moment of it so far. This will be her 3rd YJA and she's looking forward making this the best one yet! Simmi loves to explore Austin and everything it has to offer. She's an avid traveler and on a quest to find the world's best pav bhaji. So if you think you've found what she's looking for, tweet her at @simminandu19 (all food recommendations are appreciated).
Sohum Daftary Sohum is a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania studying management and electrical engineering. He's the Jain Chair of the Penn Hindu and Jain Association. Sohum is a member of Penn Raas, a Gujarati style dance team that competes nationally. He's interested in Jain Philosophy for the day to day life and he conducts weekly spiritual discussions for Philly college students. He loves sports and is the biggest Dallas Cowboys fan in Philadelphia.
Srikumar Menon Srikumar Menon has completed religious studies in Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity. He has carried out extensive study of Jainism, or Nirgranth Dharma, as well as all Shwetambar and Digambar Agam Sutras of Shwetambar and Digambar Sutras. Having spent many years with Jain Monks of all sects, he has been actively involved with the translation of Jain Agam Sutras into English for Global Jain Agam Mission. He is currently teaching at kvo Chinchpokli, Mulund and is an honorary lecturer in K.J. Somaiya College, Centre for Jainism Studies in Mumbai.
Sunita Jain Dr. Sunita Jain is a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation specialist currently practicing in Memphis, TN. She went to Wellesley College and then completed medical school at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School. After completing her residency in Boston, MA, she and her husband, Dr. Manoj Jain, moved to Memphis. They reside there with their three children. She is a leader at the Jain Center of Greater Memphis and also teaches at Pathshala.
Sunny Dharod Raised in Lenexa, Kansas, Sunny Dharod is an avid long-distance runner and has run races as short as the mile in under five minutes and as long as a marathon (26.2 miles) in just about three hours. At 19, he qualified for the Boston Marathon, which he ran in 2015. Aside from running, Sunny also loves playing and watching sports and supports the KC Chiefs, Royals, and Michigan Wolverines. He enjoys applying Jain concepts to sports and is looking forward to working with attendees on exploring how we can use religion to become better athletes in his session, Jainism and Sports: The Dilemma.
Sunny Shah Sunny Shah is a 2nd year Psychiatry Resident at the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Reno, NV. Born and raised in Southern California he attended the University of California, Irvine for his undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences and attended Ross University School of Medicine for Graduate School.
Surekha Jain Mrs. Surekha Jain is a successful franchise owner for Kumon Math and Reading Center. She has been running the business for the past 11 years and has grown 3 times from the time she first took over. She also volunteers at the Jain Center of Southern California as the coordinator of Hindi Language classes. She loves cooking and travelling to exotic places.
Tanya Parikh Dynamic Cousin Duo Tanya and Hersh have conquered the Southern California Engagement Ring and Wedding Jewelry arena. Tanya and Hersh are both graduates from the Gemological Institute of America in the field of Gemology; Hersh - the Diamond Specialist and Tanya - the Designer. Tanya is currently the President of the Los Angeles Chapter of The
A Women's Jewelry Association. Tanya and Hersh are also Junior Consultants/Ambassadors to the Diamond Club West Coast, an organization part of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses.
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SPEAKERS
Tina Lapsia Tina was born in Mumbai, India but has lived in Connecticut her entire life. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut (Go Huskies!) with majors in Political Science and Economics, and has aspirations for law school. Tina is a die-hard Patriots fan and has an unhealthy obsession with Hrithik Roshan (seeing him about 50 feet away in India was one of the best moments of her life).Tina enjoys dancing, reading, trying out new foods, and watching political/legal dramas. This is Tina's second year on YJA board and her fourth convention, and she hopes #YJA16 will be the best one yet!
Tushar Mehta Dr. Tushar Mehta is a physician and activist from Toronto, Canada. He volunteers annually at a village hospital in Kutch, Gujarat. He works with various social and environmental organizations, including an Antarctic campaign protecting whales with Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and with underprivileged youth through Project Canoe. Dr. Mehta helps organize an annual Jain camp where campers are taught practical understandings of Jainism. He emphasizes the connection between compassion towards animals, peace amongst humans, and preservation of the environment.
Umang Lathia Umang was born and raised in the suburbs of Detroit and is currently a sophomore at the University of Michigan studying Computer Science Engineering. He is also pursuing an International Minor and business experience through the Engineering Global Leadership program. This will be his third convention and his first year on board. Umang is a big fan of running, reading, and friendship (FRIENDSHIP!). You can catch him at a Michigan sporting event, cheering on his fellow wolverines, or on one of the fields playing IM sports (his favorite is dodge ball).
Umang Patel Umang is a San Francisco-based startup founder and DJ. He started his first company at age 14, and has since launched products to help people collect payments (PayTango), manage their finances (Stable), and plan events (Cloverbook). Last year, Umang traveled over 50,000 miles to DJ events for his entertainment company (Masala Entertainment). The teachings of Jainism have played an important role in helping him make tough decisions and navigate the ups and downs of life as an entrepreneur and DJ.
Vaibhav Jain Dr. Vaibhav Jain is a public health specialist from New Delhi, India. He is a health policy researcher at the American Institutes for Research, a think tank based in Washington, DC. Vaibhav moved to the U.S. in August 2011 to pursue his graduate studies at the George Washington University. Before coming to the U.S., Vaibhav practiced as a public health dentist in India. Vaibhav currently serves on the boards for various non-profit organizations dedicated to public health and women's rights.
Vashali Jain Vashali is a second-year student at the University of Virginia. She is a pre-medical student majoring in Neuroscience. In her free time, Vashali loves to dance, sing Disney songs, people watch (places with windowsills are perfect!), and experiment in the kitchen. As a Hospitality Co-Lead this year, she is excited to make everyone's convention run as smoothly as possible. She hopes that everyone will enjoy their convention experience!
Virag Vora Virag was born in Texas, but grew up in Foxboro, MA. He is a rising senior at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, pursuing a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. He has been a Local Representative and was a part of the 2014 Convention Committee. He loves being a part of the PR team because of the creativity and excitement it involves. In his free time, Virag enjoys DJing and producing new tracks. He is extremely grateful to be a part of the 2016 Convention, and can't wait to see you there!
Yashwini Kamdar As a program manager, Yashwini Kamdar has managed multi-million dollar projects and diverse teams across the globe. She spoke about organization transformation in her TEDx talk in 2015, and about her journey to a healthier lifestyle at a women's workshop at SMC. She has been a Pathshala teacher for 13+ years and has presented about leadership, college to corporate life, resume reviews and mock interviews as a guest speaker at universities. She has completed 2 marathons, 5 half marathons, and several other races. In her free time she likes to box, do boot camp, and outdoor activities.
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SPEAKERS
Niket Jain Niket Jain graduated last year from New York University (NYU) with a degree in Economics and minor in Politics. He currently works in the finance industry in New York. His speciality lies in compliance/legal with banks and other financial institutions. With his knowledge in rules and regulations, Niket wants others to be aware of how they should spend and save their money. This way they can make wise decisions when it comes to investing their money and getting the most out of their retirement. You can always reach him at niket@jainusa.com with any questions you may have. He looks forward to seeing everyone at this year's YJA 2016 convention.
Not Pictured: Samani Shreenidhi, Samani Shrutnidhi and Samaniji Suyasnidhi
Žilaapusa
Elevating Humanity Through Microlending in India Promoting dignity, self-sufficiency and health through access to affordable ricoloans
Sportos The Tarsedia Foundation, Sara Mand Function Trust, IX.boint Mod Thella Sant Foundation Pyet
Santa Badesh Shalaysh Pareth
Ari Dusti
Snaisupal 300 TS the overleden te w o rden
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MF 97, Sat 10-3
Sun Closed
Congratulations to the YJA
2016 Board and LACC! We are proud to see the
continuation of the YJA legacy. Best wishes for a
successful convention. Ami and Shardule Shah
Congratulations to YJA for their 25th Anniversary Celoroton & 21Bornia Convention
With Best Wishes for a Successful
YJA 2016, VM Pharmacy
Shcilesh Chancra, Amit & Krupa Shah
With Best Wishes
from the Narendra and Sushila Jain Foundation
Compliments from Narendra & Sushila Jain
Atul & Priti Jain from Virginia.
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JAL 2016"
AGENTS OF CHANGE
Jai Jinendra! Welcome to the 2016 YJA Convention in Los Angeles, CA
We hope that this weekend gives you the opportunity to learn the fundamental principles of Jainism, interact with other Jain youth on a social and spiritual level, and leave with a renewed sense of purpose to impact the world and become an Agent of Change. "Be the change that you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi
Best wishes for a great convention!
Prem, Sandhya, Ankit, Mona, Mohit, Shephali, Gavin, and Sofia Jain
Congratulations to the YJA 2016 Convention!
We are honored to
provide this contribution from Southern California
- best wishes.
Dr. Narendra Parson and Family
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Congratulations and best wishes to 2016 YJA Convention Jain Society of Pittsburgh
With Best Wishes from
Praveen, Urvashi, Sunny and Mishi Jain 2016 YJA Convention
NO
Hindu Jain Temple
With Best Wishes From Kumon Manhattan Beach
Best wishes from the
Jain Sangh of Southern Indiana &
Kentucky
..?
Sul
Surekha & Narendra With Urvashi & Kritka Jain
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Jano
vier
DIAMOND CONCIERGE
www.janvierla.com
I (800) 527 3002 Tanya Parikhlersh Jhaveri
350 S Hill St. #1490 Los Angeles CA 90013
Division of K. R. Gems & Diamonds Int'l.
Kansas City Jain Sangh
Shree Parshvanath Shree Mahavirswami
with Best Compliments From: Jain Center of Greater St. Louis
725 Weidman Road Saint Louis, Missouri 63011 Phone: (636) 225-0485
jest.mail@gnail.com Congratulations to the Young lains of America
Team 2016 for a job well done!
As both YJA and the KC Jain Sangh celebrate their 25th anniversaries, we would like to express our support for the continued
growth of Jainism in North America!
Iseserse
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We Proudly Support
the 2016 YJA Convention!
MACHINE
SLOIAMO ONTINEMACHNE COM
Coprighten
MAHAVIRA
THE HERO OF NONVIOLENCE
Share this children's book with family!
MANOJ JAIN
ILLUSTRAT)
* DEMI
Drs. Manoj and
Sunita Jain - Memphis, TN
Cupoldal
AGENTS OF CHANGE

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fi गगनो आपरिवाना णमो जन्दावा।।
TE एसोरणमोकारो
मगलानं च सोनि:
*
Lord Rishabhdev Lord Parshwanath Lord Mahavir
Navakar Mantra Jain Center of Greater Boston
556 Nichols Street, Norwood, MA 02062
Phone: (781) 762-9490 www.jcgb.org NON VIOLENCE IN THOUGHTS, IN WORDS AND IN ACTION IS THE TRUE RELIGION
Congratulations to the Young fains of America 2016 Team
for a job well done.
In Loving Memory of Late Smt.
Sharda Kanu Shah Best wishes to 2016
YJA Convention
Committee for a successful convention
Kanu Shah, Milap, Parul, Neal & Kinari Shah
Milan & Sonal Shah Ben, Mona, Nathan, Neena & Nolan Goldthwaite
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jainam ijayati shasanam
jainam
s
a
och Alarm Colak
JAIN CENTER OF NEW JERSEY 111 Cedar Grove Lanc, Somerset, NJ 08873.732 455 2652 22 Runnymede Road, Essex Fells, NT07021 972 226 2529 www.JainCeuterNJ.org • info@JainCenter:NJ.org
Congratulations to Young Jains of America
Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."
- Harriet Tubman
Congratulations and best wishes to the 2016 YJA Convention Board for planning and having an amazing convention!
with #yjalove, Sushil, Rajshree, Avish, and Priyanka Jain
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SPONSORS AND DONORS
We are grateful for the support of all of our sponsors, contributors and donors. The 2016 YJA Convention couldn't happen without your support!
GOLD SPONSORS
JAINA
Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington Mahesh Wadher
Aakash Diamonds Inc Ashok Domadia
Ashok and Harshana Savla Chunilal and Ilaben Shah
Ajay, Earth and Sonal Shah BioUrja Trading LLC Di-Moksh Diam Inc. Divyesh & Jaya Shah Drs. Ashok and Mamta Shaha
Earth Star Imports Gems International of California
Girish Shah
Girish Shah
Haresh Shah House of Spices
Jain Center of Greater Phoenix
Anuradha Dharod Arpan Shah
Arun D. Parikh (Ficke & Associates, Inc)
Arvind and Ramila Ashish Shah and Payal Kamdar BC and Kokila Mehta
64
Bhumika Khona Bipin K. Lapasia Chandrakant and Pravina Shah Chetan Ajmera Chuni Gala/Gala & Associates Inc. Darshana and
Hemang Shah
PLATINUM SPONSORS
Jain Center of Southern California Anonymous
Mukesh and Priti Chatter Mr. and Mrs. Manahar Shah Popat and Kalpana Savla Silver Star Real Estates LLC
BRONZE SPONSORS Jain Center of Metro Chicago Jain Study Center of North Carolina Kreate and Print
Dedhia Family Trust Devang Jhaveri Devkumar and Sonal Gandhi Dhiraj and Jyoti Dedhia Dhiren and Jyoti Shah
Dhruv & Shital Shah Dipesh Kothari and Veni Jain Dr. Dipak Jain & Sushant Jain Dr. Dipak Jain & Sushant Jain Dr. Ravi Kankaria Gautam & Sheetal Shah
Kunal Dagli Manoj Jain
Hamad Hossain Harakh & Neena
Narendra and Sunita Jain Narendra Parson
Jagdish J. Shah
Jain Center of Connecticut Jain Center of Greater St. Louis
SPONSORS
Jain Sangh of Greater Austin Jain Society of Greater Detroit
Jain Society of North Texas Jain Society of Pittsburgh Jain Society of Toronto
DONORS
Maru and Mahendra & Nalini Maru Hiren and Hemal Dedhia
Jain Fellowship of Houston
Jain Sangh of New England, Inc. Jain Society of Middle Tennessee Jaydeep Jain Jeet and Richa Mehta
Jitu and Sarla Jhaveri
Jyoti and Vipinchandra Vadecha Kamal Mehta Kamlesh Mehta Kavita Jain
Jayesh and Jigna Vadeca Kansas City Jain Sangh Ketan JK Doshi
Lata Jayesh Savla and Family Mayur & Rita Lodaya Narendrae and Surekha Jain The Parekh Family Neon Gems, Inc.
Nishith Pravin Choksi
Pranav Patel
Rajeev and Darshana Gala
Kokila and Mohit Sheth
Kirit and Pramila Daftary Mahendra J. Shah Mahendra R Solanki Meeta and Kantilal Gangar Milind k. Shalia Monica Godha Mr and Mrs. Parikh Nalin and Jyotsna Patel
Navin and Divya Gangar
Neelam Savla
SILVER SPONSORS
Dinesh, Sunita, Ajay & Nilesh Dagli Jain Center of Northern California Jain Society of Houston K.R. Gems & Diamonds International Prem Jain Rasiklal and Manjula Sheth Family (Equitable Properties, LLC) Jain Center of New Jersey Jain Center of Greater Boston
Ryan Darton LLC Sharad Doshi
Subhas Khara (Veer Hospitality Hawthorn Suites) Sushil, Rajshree, Avish, and Priyanka Jain Yogesh and Sangita Shah
Neha Shah
Nilam and Himanshu Shah Nilesh Shah
Rao and Indira Yalmanchili Sheth Family Foundation Inc.
Shirish and Harsha Desia Sunit and Seema Jain
Urvashi, Praveen, Sunny, & Mishi Jain
CVM Pharmacy E
Yashwini Kamdar
Niraj & Harsha Gandhi
Nirmal Dhudekar Nitin, Malay, Bina, & Rachana Shah Orna Gems Inc. (Sumati C. Shah) Palvi Kudva Pankaj and Malti Shah
Patel Revocable Family Trust (Gordha M Patel) Pathik Shah Prajapati Parivar Prakash Lapsia Rajeev and Heena Gandhi Rajini Lakhiya Raju & Rupal Desai
Ramesh C Jhaveri, Rental (Ramesh and Nisha Jhaveri) Rohan Shah Sami and Minal Shah
Sanat and Sunita Mehta
Shah Associates, CPA, PA
Shailesh and Chandra Shah Shardule & Ami Shah Shilpa Shah
Sushil Seth
Vijay and Madhu Chheda
Viren and Archana
Shah
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CONTRIBUTORS
Aashna Shah Deep Shah Abhishek Soni- Deval Shah minde
Dhara Shah and Aditya Ashar
Prerak Adhuria Akaash Shah
Dhaval A Shah Anita Jain
Disha Shah Ankit Desai
Divya Gada Anshul Shah
Hasmukh Kokila Ashvin and Ranjan Shah Shah
Hetali Lodaya Avish Jain
Jash Modi Bhavi Shah
Juhi Shah Bhumi Shah
Kalpana Shah Casey Brown
Khyati Raka Chintav Shah
Kreena Vora Chirag Shah
Krina Shah To OUR EXTRAORDINARY VOLUNTEERS:
Kritika Jain Kruti Mehta Kunal Mehta Law Office of Riddhi Desai Manali Shah Manan Jobalia Manav Sanghvi Manjula Gala Mayur Shah Mukesh and Vibha Shah Navin and Vimla Neehaar Gandhi Neil Shah Nikita Jain
Nilesh Dagli Nimesh and Kokila Doshi Nina Ranavat Niraj Desai Nirali Gandhi Pankaj Nahar Paras Mehta Poojan Mehta Pravi Jain Priyanka Jain Puja Savla Pujen Solanki Ravi Doshi Ravi Shah Reya Shah
Richa Shah Riya Shah Roman & Susan Kab Ruchir Vora Rushal Shah Saachi Gandhi Saejal Chatter Sameer Parikh Sanjana Shah Sean Gajjar Sejal Dhruva Shailee Shah Shrenik Shah Shriya Jain Shubham Gandhi
Siddh Kapadia Simmi Nandu Sonia Kamdar Sunny Shah Tejas Shah Tushar & Apurvi Shah Umang Lathia Urvashi Jain Vashali Jain Vinija Jain Virag Vora Yesha Shah
Time. It's something you all have donated an extremely generous amount of over the past few months and especially this weekend, and for that the YJA 2016 Convention Committee would like to express its utmost and deepest gratitude. The theme of this year's Convention is "Agents of Change," and we firmly believe that our mission to spread Jain teachings to today's youth would not be possible without your tireless dedication and drive to instill these values in us. Behind every great agent is a great volunteer, so thank you again for your assistance and support! If we missed anyone's name, Micchami Dukkadam! Vipul Udani Nilesh Shah
Jayshree Bhayani Madhavi Solanki Ketaki Shah Prerana Udani Mamta Shah Dinesh A Shah Hemant Shah
Shreya Shah Lata Savla Raju Desai Alka Shah Jaimini Shah
Piyush Shah Harshana Savla Rupal Desai Hina Dhami Shailesh Mehta
Tripal Shah Ashok Savla Sonal Gandhi Nikhil Dhami Mita Mehta
Nitin Shah Sailes Jain Devkumar Gandhi Narendra Jain
Bakul Shah
Arti Shah Jaydeep Jain Chetan Ajmera Surekha Jain Dhaval Mehta
Shobha Vora Ramesh Jhaveri Sonal Ajmera
Yogesh Shah
Pragnesh Vadecha Shobhana Shah Nisha Jhaveri Mayur Shah Sangita Shah Malini Shah
Vipul Solanki Tejas Mehta Shilpa Shah Rohit Shah Hina Shah
Pragna Solanki Dhiraj Dedhia Manoj Shah Ramesh Doshi Rupa Shah
Sanjay Shah Jyoti Dedhia Niraj Gandhi Kamini Shah Jayesh Shah
Minal Shah Adhir Shah Harsha Gandhi Pramod Shah Jagdish Shah
Debbie Shah Bharati Shah Kalpana Hegde Jyotsna Patel Jayu Shah
Rakesh Shah Piyush Solanki Prakash Lapsia Nalin Patel Amrit Bhandari
Himanshu Shah Krina Solanki Jyoti Lapsia Geeta Sheth
Sheela Bhandari Mala Shah Kalpana Shah Pravina Shah Popat Savla Manjri Dhami
Yasmin Doshi Kalpana Dharod Chandrakant Shah Sharad Doshi
Chandrakant Parekh Dipali Doshi Mukesh Dharod Navin Gangar
Sonal Doshi Mona Shah
Jagruti Shah Kamal Mehta Kalpesh Jhaveri Sameer Shah Priti Mehta
Vijay Shah Jagruti Mehta Mrudula Shah Shweta Daftary Veni Jain
Bharati Juthani Dolly Solanki Surendra Shah Gautam Daftary Mahesh D Shah
Vijay Savla Neerali Bhavsar Priti Gandhi Sunita Dagli Mina M Shah
Piyusha Savla Dipeshkumar Bhavsar Bhavesh Gandhi Apurva Bhansali Bansri Doshi Pankaj Sheth Haresh Shah Nehal Bhansali
Ramesh N Doshi Manna Shah Swati Shah Naren Solanki
Surbhi Mehta
SPECIAL THANKS: YJA Board of Trustees - Mitesh Shah, Parag Parekh, Prem Jain, and Shardule Shah JAINA Executive Committee Designers - Avish Jain, Juhi Hegde, Manan Jobalia, Pujen Solanki, Ravi Doshi and printer PBA Graphics Speakers Parents and families of the 2016 Executive Board and Convention Committee
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PUJA SAVLA EXECUTIVE BOARD CO-CHAIR Puja is currently a Biology teacher at Animo Inglewood Charter High School (Fly High Eagles!!) and a Pathshala teacher at the Jain Center of Southern California. She is an avid LA sports fan, rooting for her USC Trojans, LA Lakers, and LA Kings. In her free time she spends time with family and friends and enjoys playing board games and taking bike rides down the Pacific Coast. She is excited to bring 2016 YJA Convention back to the West where things are the best! Feel free to contact Puja at Chairs.la@yja.org with any questions or ideas!
SUNNY DHAROD EXECUTIVE BOARD CO-CHAIR Sunny is from Lenexa, Kansas, and he recently graduated with a degree in Economics from the University of Michigan. His hobbies and interests include Kansas City sports teams, long-distance running, and playing piano. Sunny is honored to have played a role in planning the convention, and he would like to give a shout out to his fellow Co-Chairs, Boardies, Midwest LRs, and the Kansas City Jain community for all their support!
AKASH SHAH CONVENTION CO-CHAIR Akash Shah is our board member with the most life experience. This is a nice way of calling him the oldest. He is native to Los Angeles and has worked to bring creative solutions to diverse industries. Whether it is his work as a brand strategist, an entrepreneur assisting in the launch of multiple products/businesses, his work in real estate development and reconstruction, or even as simple as his passion for choreography, Akash has always been about pushing the envelope. The past has given us a foundation, and it is now our job to build on it - this is an idea and philosophy that he is incredibly excited to bring to this year's convention committee.
AMIT SHAH CONVENTION CO-CHAIR Amit is born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. This will be his fourth time helping with the convention planning process, as well his final year. He is very excited that convention is back in California, as the first convention he ever attended was in California in 2004. This is his first time being in such a high position-being a Co-Chair. It has been a dream and an honor for him. He loves anything Bollywood, EDM, Chaat masala (especially on nachos), and of course anything British or British Desi! He hopes you are as excited as him, and he can't wait to see you join him on the Raas Garba floor!
DIYAANKA JHAVERI ADULT VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR Diyaanka Jhaveri, originally from Plano, Texas, is a rising sophomore studying International Relations at the University of Texas (Hook em). This is her second convention and first year serving on the board, and she can't wait to experience all the fun that YJA is. While she is not fighting dragons, she is busy reading Harry Potter for 30th time or trying to pretend she is Deepika Padukone. She is beyond excited to be a part of the Adult Volunteer Committee and is ready for a great 2016 Convention.
TINA LAPSIA ADULT VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR DIRECTOR OF EVENTS Tina was born in Mumbai, India but has lived in Connecticut her entire life. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut (Go Huskies!) with majors in Political Science and Economics, and has aspirations for law school. Tina is a die-hard Patriots fan and has an unhealthy obsession with Hrithik Roshan (seeing him about 50 feet away in India was one of the best moments of her life). In her spare time, she enjoys dancing, reading, trying out new foods, and political/legal dramas. This is Tina's second year on YJA board and fourth convention, and she hopes #YJA16 will be the best one yet!
URVASHI JAIN ADULT VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR Urvashi has grown up in sunny LA, and she has been attending patshala classes since she was eight. Since graduating from college in 2013, she has pursued her CPA license and volunteered at JCSC as a Religion and Hindi teacher and Toastmaster's coach. In her free time, she likes to read, watch movies, and crochet. She loves anything to do with music and food. She attended her first YJA event in college, and loved it because she got to make many new friends. She is excited to be more involved with YJA events now and is looking forward to working with people of all ages.
KAYURI SHAH DAYTIME PROGRAMMING Kayuri was born in Elizabethton, Tennessee, but has lived most of her life in Northern Virginia. She is a rising senior at Virginia Commonwealth University, majoring in Biomedical Engineering, while working at a hospital. When she thinks no one's looking, she's probably dancing with her headphones in. She's part of a classical dance team, Thandavam. Her weakness is her major sweet tooth. Her hobbies include baking, reading sci-fi novels, and swimming. This is her second time on convention board and her fourth convention. #DaytimelsBetter Than Nighttime
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CHINTAV SHAH | DAYTIME PROGRAMMING DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION Chintav is a New Jersey native and a fresh graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he studied Marketing, Operations, and Systems Engineering. He'll soon start working in consulting in the city of Philadelphia, and he enjoys learning about the deeper aspects of spirituality within Jainism and their connection to other religions around the world. He is YJA's Director of Education this year and is on the Daytime Programming Team that's bringing a variety of engaging and interactive sessions to the LA convention - which he hopes to look back on and say was the best convention yet!
MAHIMA SHAH DAYTIME PROGRAMMING Mahima Shah is a first year college student at Cornell University, double majoring in Computer Science and Economics. She is currently part of the 2016 YJA Daytime Programming Convention Committee and was the 2015 YJA Director of Education. Mahima has been very interested in Jainism from a young age, and hopes to communicate the importance of the religion in interesting and engaging ways to today's youth.
Ravi DOSHI FUNDRAISING DIRECTOR OF FUNDRAISING He is your basketball-loving, sock collecting, music junkie: Ravi Doshi. Attending Emory University, he is studying Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology along with Mathematics and Economics. He would never turn down long drives, meeting new people, and giving old things new purpose. He's always thinking, so if you see him be sure to ask him what's going on up there.
POOJAN MEHTA FUNDRAISING Poojan is a proud native of Raleigh, North Carolina. Being raised as a Tar Heel, he is currently a Sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, pursuing a degree in Finance. Set to graduate in 2019, he hopes to enter the finance industry and one day own his own business. In his spare time, Poojan enjoys golfing, watching football, and spending time with his friends and family.
PARAS SAVLA FUNDRAISING SECURITY Paras was born and raised in Southern California and is a first year medical student at Touro University in the San Francisco Bay Area. This is his second YJA convention and first time being on convention committee. He enjoys watching sports, reading, and going on adventures; he is always down to try exciting new things. Paras is extremely excited to help YJA 2016 be the best convention yet!
SIMMI NANDU HOSPITALITY | SOUTH REGIONAL COORDINATOR Simmi was born and raised in the dirty south, Dallas, TX - GO COWBOYS! She is a sophomore Chemical Engineering student at the University of Texas at Austin - hook 'em! Simmi is a Hospitality Co-Lead and has loved every moment of it so far. This will be her 3rd YJA and she's looking forward making this the best one yet! Simmi loves to explore Austin and everything it has to offer. She's an avid traveler and on a quest to find the world's best pav bhaji. So if you think you've found what she's looking for, tweet her at @simminandu19 (all food recommendations are appreciated).
UMANG LATHIA HOSPITALITY Umang was born and raised in the suburbs of Detroit and is currently a sophomore at the University of Michigan studying Computer Science Engineering. He is also pursuing an International Minor and business experience through the Engineering Global Leadership program. This will be his third convention and his first year on board. Umang is a big fan of running, reading, and friendship (FRIENDSHIP!). You can catch him at a Michigan sporting event, cheering on his fellow wolverines, or on one of the fields playing IM sports (his favorite is dodgeball).
VASHALI JAIN | HOSPITALITY Vashali is a second-year student at the University of Virginia. She is a pre-medical student majoring in Neuroscience. In her free time, Vashali loves to dance, sing Disney songs, people watch (places with windowsills are perfect!), and experiment in the kitchen. As a Hospitality Co-Lead this year, she is excited to make everyone's convention run as smoothly as possible. She hopes that everyone will enjoy their convention experience!
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NEELAM SAVLA | JAIN NETWORKING FORUM (NF) Neelam is a Senior Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission at the University of Southern California and just recently graduated with her Masters in Education. As a Los Angeles native, she loves going on outdoor adventures, especially hikes that include views of the ocean. She is one of this year's JNF Committee Co-Leads and is excited to welcome YJA back to the west coast.
SHRENIK SHAHJAIN NETWORKING FORUM (INF) Shrenik Shah graduated from California State University, Fullerton. He studied Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance. He currently is a business specialist at Wells Fargo Bank. Some of his favorite hobbies include playing sports, snowboarding, dancing in the rain, and going on new adventures. He was part of a bhangra dance team in college. He co-founded his Los Angeles based event/production company, Shehnai Decor in 2010. He is one of this year's JNF co-leads. Westisbest!
MANAN JOBALIA PR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Manan was born and raised in Nashville, TN (go Titans!) and is a 5th year Business Administration major with a Healthcare Management concentration at UAB. This will be his 2nd convention and 2nd year on board. He is very happy he got involved with YJA because of the relationships he has made and the lifelong memories that go with it. When he isn't focused on studies, you can find him taking photos at parks and botanical gardens, making music in his room, or dancing his heart out at the dance studios. He is very excited to be the Director of PR because he is able to reach out to the Jain youth to get them to experience everything that YJA has to offer.
JUHI HEGDE PR Juhi was born and raised in Baltimore, MD (go Ravens!) and is a third year biology major with a pre-pharmacy concentration. This will be her fourth convention and her first on Convention board, and she is grateful for YJA because of the lifelong friendships she has made and the knowledge she has gained about Jainism outside of the paathshala classroom. When she doesn't have her nose buried in a textbook, you can find her dancing or singing her two biggest passions. She also enjoys baking, reading, traveling, and trying new things. She is very excited to be a part of PR because she wants to be able to encourage Jain youth to experience all the greatness YJA has to offer!
VIRAG VORA PR Virag was born in Texas, but grew up in Foxboro, MA. He is a rising senior at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, pursuing a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. He has been a Local Representative and was a part of the 2014 Convention Committee. He loves being a part of the PR team because of the creativity and excitement it involves. In his free time, Virag enjoys DJing and producing new tracks. He is extremely grateful to be a part of the 2016 Convention, and can't wait to see you all there!
AVISH JAIN REGISTRATION DIRECTOR OF IT Avish, born and raised in northeast Ohio, recently graduated from THE Ohio State University with a degree in Biology with future plans to attend medical school. In his free time, you might find Avish cheering on the Buckeyes, listening to music, messing around with technology, and spending time with family and friends. As Registration Committee Co-Lead, he hopes your registration process was as streamlined as possible, and that everyone enjoys the convention!
PUIEN SOLANKI | REGISTRATION | WEST REGIONAL COORDINATOR Pujen is from the great state of California (from the south because we all know the north doesn't matter). He is a Computer Scientist who loves to cook. He is an entrepreneur with a successful Design and Development company as well as a co-founder of a Los Angeles based event production company. This is his first YJA and he is proud to be a part of planning it.
NILESH DAGLI REGISTRATION Nilesh was born and raised in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. He is a CPA and works for a public accounting firm in the Chicagoland area. Numbers are his life! This will be his second convention and first on the Convention board. He attributes a lot of what he has learned about Jainism to his heavy involvement with the Jain Society of Greater Detroit. He is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan and bleeds MAIZE AND BLUE! He enjoys watching all sports, reading books about the economy (yes I know nerdy!), and traveling across the US. He is very excited to be part of the Registration team and looks forward to meeting all of the attendees!
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SAEJAL CHATTER SECURITY DIRCTOR OF PUBLICATIONS Saejal is a junior at Georgetown University studying Economics and Computer Science. An ardent writer, Saejal enjoys reading, writing, and editing all genres. She is passionate about anything and everything involving spending time with friends and family and loves trying new, adventurous activities! Serving as a Security Committee Co-Lead this year, she aims to provide a secure physical setting for all attendees in order to create a comfortable mental setting one that fosters dialogue, debate, and determination. Email Saejal anytime at security.la@yja.org with any questions or suggestions!
DHARMI SHAH SECURITY Dharmi is originally from Dothan, Alabama. She is currently a 2nd year pharmacy student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In her free time she enjoys outdoor activities, traveling, dancing, netflixing, trying different types of food, and hanging out with family and friends. She is extremely excited to serve on the security team for the 2016 convention and to be involved with YJA.
MISHI JAIN SITE DIRECTOR OF PROJECT DEVELOPMENT Mishi is a student at Rice University, double majoring in political science and policy studies. She has grown up and lived in Houston, Texas for her whole life and is one of the biggest Rockets fans out there (#clutchcity). She loves to bhangra and raas, watch dessert videos on Buzzfeed Food and Tasty, and go hiking in national parks. She always loves a good ultimate frisbee game and is ready to go on food adventures (especially for vegan desserts). This is Mishi's third YJA convention and second year on the YJA Executive Board, and she's excited to put on the best YJA convention in history! #yjalove
MIHIR SHAH SITE Mihir was born & raised in sunny SoCal (Go Lakers & Dodgers!). He's currently a Technical Project Manager & Senior Data Analyst with Providence Health & Services based in Burbank, CA. He graduated from the University of California, Irvine with degrees in both Applied Mathematics and Economics. This is his 2nd convention & 1st time serving on the Convention Committee. In his free time he enjoys all things soccer, trying undiscovered restaurants, baking desserts, & gaming on his XBOX. If you find Mihir at convention, ask to take a selfie with him & share/tag it using #exSITEd and #WheresMihir!!!
ADIT SHAH SITE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Adit Shah is a senior a Baruch College studying Finance and minoring in Economics. He was born and brought up in NYC, thus a HUGE NY sports fan (especially the Mets! #LGM). In his free time he enjoys watching crime dramas, wearing creative ties, pretending to eat healthy, and exploring new foods. Adit is extremely excited to be a part of the board after a year as New York's LR, and he looks forward to working with you all. Being a site co-chair is a new experience, one he's really excited for. Let's make this an amazing convention!
MITESH BHALANI SOCIAL | SOUTHEAST REGIONAL COORDINATOR Mitesh grew up in Atlanta and is currently a first year student at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. After two years as an LR, this is Mitesh's first year on board as the Southeast RC. Mitesh enjoys reading fantasy and sci-fi in his free time as well as staying updated about the latest tech. He's excited to make this year's convention (especially the social events) the best yet!
MONICA VORA SOCIAL NORTHEAST REGIONAL COORDINATOR Monica has recently moved to Atlanta, GA in order to pursue her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Emory University. She graduated in May from MCPHS University in Boston, MA with her Bachelor of Science in Pre-Medical and Health Studies. Some of her hobbies include drawing, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends. Monica is super excited to explore the Southeast and what it has to offer. However, she will always be a true Patriots fan!
REA SAVLA SOCIAL Rea was born and raised in Massachusetts but recently made the big move to California's Bay Area. This will be her second YJA convention and first as a Social Events co-lead. She is excited to translate her love and dedication to Janism and the Jain community into creating an unforgettable social experience. Rea is a freshman at UC Berkeley intending to major in Economics. She is involved in her school's bhangra team, political review A magazine, and student government. Her other passions include singing, public service, and spending time with friends and family.
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KINARI SHAH SOUVENIRS MIDWEST REGIONAL COORDINATOR Kinari is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan, where she majored in Biopsychology, Cognition, & Neuroscience and minored in Art History with a focus on South Asian arts. She is also a lifelong student of Bharatanatyam. This fall, she will begin her master's at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to focus on Social and Behavioral Interventions in International Health and Vaccine Policy.
PANKTI GALA SOUVENIRS MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL COORDINATOR Pankti is a rising third year at Drexel University in Philadelphia. She is originally from the Philadelphia area and adores the City of Brotherly Love. This is her first year on YJA Executive Board and her third convention. Some of her hobbies include teaching, volunteering, and cooking. This year, Pankti serves as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Coordinator on Executive Board and a Souvenirs Committee Co-Lead on Convention Committee. She looks forward to seeing you all in Sunny California in July!
HETALI LODAYA | SOUVENIRS Hetali works at an education startup in San Antonio, TX. She studied chemistry and public policy at UNC-Chapel Hill (Go Heels!) and in her free time loves bhangra, sunshine, reading, exploring new places, and eating local. She came to NC by way of MI, NJ, and OH, and feels so lucky to work with Jain youth from all over the country through YJA. This is her second time being on convention board, and she is thrilled to have another chance to help create a space for youth to engage with Jainism!
YJA College Chapters
The College Chapter Project engages Jain youth at the college level and supports existing Jain student organizations to promote Jainism and its rich culture. We hope to encourage college students to get involved on their campus and get together to discuss Jain topics, volunteer, and have fun!
Starting a YJA Affiliated Chapter on your campus or registering your current Jain student organization as a YJA Affiliated Chapter has many benefits:
WANT TO START A COLLEGE CHAPTER
WITH YJA?
• Receive Educational and Events Handbooks to plan events and create youth programming • Publish in Young Minds to write articles on Jainism, life as a Jain college student, and more • Be highlighted in Young Minds and on our social media accounts as a Featured Chapter
WE ARE REGISTERING NEW 3) CHAPTERS NOW!
R PROJE
Email projects@yja.org if you are interested!
ECTIVO
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SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS
Aimee Doshi
Anand Shah Anchal Jain
Anish Doshi
Anjali Doshi
Avni Nandu
Bonita Parikh Brinda Shah Divyansh Shah Foram Shah
Hannah Shah Karishma Shah Kunal Shah
Labdhi Sheth Malaika Jhaveri
Miten Shah
Neha Vora
Niket Jain
Prapti Ghiya
Paras Mehta
INV Rishabh Kodia Rishabh Parekh Ronak Shah
Prachi Shah Purvi Shah
Salil Ojha
Sehal Shah
Shreyans Munot Siddharth Shah
Simran Modi Sneha Parikh
AGENTS OF CHANGE

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We Proudly Support the
2016 YJA Convention!
0
Jain Study Center of NC
Raleigh, NC.jscnc.org
North America's newest Jain
Center is almost here:
Best wishes for a successful 2016 YJA Convention!
From, Sumati Shah & Kirit Shah
Orna Gems, Inc Los Angeles, CA
We are excited to announce the opening of the Austin Jain Community
Center in Fall 2016! To get involved, donate, or visit, please contact us at
JSGACenterAustin@gmail.com.
With Best Wishes from Arun Parikh and Arpan Parikh, Ficke & Associates
and The Catbird Seat
Best wishes from the Jain Sangh of Greater Austin for a successful 2016 YJA Convention!
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(877) 516-3749 www.fickeinsurance.com
2016 YJA CONVENTION LOS ANGELES, CA

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Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington Congratulates Young Jains of America on their 2016
Convention: Agents of Change Celebrating 25 years of YJA
STED
AMMENDALE ROAD -
N LINCOLN AVENUE
PINE STREET
Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington is very excited about the upcoming construction of their new authentic Jain temple and Center with Shantinath Bhagwan and Adinath Bhagwan Temples, Upashray, Sthanak, ample classrooms, large dining hall and state of the art facilities for all members and groups to participate and practice Jainism.
Contact us with more questions at: TempleCommittee@Jain SocietyDC.org
AGENTS OF CHANGE

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Om Shri Mahaviray Namah
BEST WISHES
Ashok & Harshana Savla
Chunilal & Ila Shah
Rajiv & Darshana Gala
Harilal & Ranjan Dedhia
Hiren & Hemal Dedhia
Pankaj & Malti Shah
Vijay & Madhu Chheda
Navin & Divya Gangar
Jitu & Sarla Jhaveri
Harish & Geeta Khona
Chandrakant & Pravina Shah
Dhiraj & Jyoti Dedhia
Ashish & Payal Shah
Milind & Kranti Shalia
2016 YJA CONVENTION LOS ANGELES, CA

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BEST COMPLIMENTS FOR THE
YJA CONVENTION 2016
Best Wishes from Pratik, Dolly, Mayha, and Sneha Parikh!
FROM MAHENDRA SINGH & AKAL KUMARI DAGA
2016 YJA Convention
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With best compliments
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On behalf of House of Spices, best wishes to the organizers and attendees for a successful
YJA Convention!
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AGENTS OF CHANGE

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Support the YJA
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Best wishes from Anmol,
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and Vipul Udani 2016 YJA Convention
2016 YJA CONVENTION LOS ANGELES, CA

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NOTES
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Our sincere and heartfelt appreciation to Pujya Gurudevshri
for Sadguru Prerna Project at
Dharampur (Gujrat)
Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur www.shrimadrajchandramission.org
Sadguru
WHISPERS
Seva is not just completing an assigned task.
It is a priceless oppertunity to distribute your inner joy.
Serva is to dissolve your ego and bring you closer to the Divine Stress in seve only means that you have missed this goal.
Best Wishes From:
Mahesh & Usha Wadher Sujay/Margarita/ Maya & Zen Wadher Amisha/Purav/Amira & Giulia Kapadia.

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LLYWOOD AAAA LAMAAAAAAA Live and Help Live JAINA Supporting the future of Jainism through our youth initiatives. We wish you the best! Young Jains of America Young Jain Professionals Jain Academic Bowl Jain Youth Exchange Program Campus Outreach JAINA Academic Scholarship JAINA Mentorship Program JAINA Upliftment Program f Jainausa y Jainaorg O Jaina_Org * Jaina.org