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spending even a few years in the cultural and inspiring atmosphere of Visva-Bharati, the grand creation of the great Poet Rabindranath.
During the period of 10 years of my principalship of the Gujarat Puratattva Mandir, Ahmedabad, and even before that period, I had begun collecting materials of historical and philological importance, and of folk-lore etc., which had been lying hidden in the great Jaina Bhandars of Patan, Ahmedabad, Baroda, Cambay, etc. I induced my noble friend Babu Bahadur Singhji Singhi, also to start a Series which would publish works dealing with the vast materials in my possession, and also with other allied important Jaina texts and studies prepared on the most modern scientific methods. Hence the inauguration of the present Singhi Jaina Series.
Babu Bahadur Singhji Singhi is himself a great connoisseur and patron of art and culture. He has an unbounded interest in creative researches in antiquities, and has a very good collection of rare and historic paintings, manuscripts, coins, books, and jewellery. On many occasions the organisers of various exhibitions throughout India have had to call upon him for loan of his art collection; and he has gladly responded to their requests without fail. In 1931 he was the recipient of a gold medal from the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan as a mark of appreciation of his unique collection. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (London); a member of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal, Bangiya Sahitya Parişat, the Indian Research Institute, and many other similar institutions. He is also one of the Founder-members of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay. He was one of the prominent working members of the Executive body of the "All-India Exhibition of Indian Architecture and Allied Arts and Crafts" held in Calcutta in February, 1935.
Babu Bahadur Singhji Singhi is a prominent leader of the Swetambar Jaina community. He was elected President of the Jaina Swetambar Conference held in Bombay in 1926. He is also connected with many other Jaina conferences and institutions either as president, patron or trustee.
Though thus a leading figure in the Jaina community, Babu Bahadur Singhji Singhi has always maintained a truly national and non-sectarian spirit and helped also many institutions which are outside the Jain fold. For example, he has donated Rs. 12,500 for constructing a building at Allahabad for the Hindi Sahitya Parishat. In fact his generosity knows no distinction of caste or creed.
Really speaking, he does not in the least hanker after name and fame ever though he is a multi-millionaire and a big Zamindar, and even though he is a man of superior intellect and energy. He is by nature taciturn and a lover of solitude. Art and literature are the pursuits of his choice. He is very fond of seeing and collecting rare and invaluable
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