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The Concrete Form of an Inspiring Incident
In the late August or early September, 1963, Shri Ratilal Chimanlal Shah-Dharmapriya, who was editing the 'Jai Jinendra' column of 'Mumbai Samachar' in the penname 'Dharmapriya', made a pithy remark. He wrote that no one had taken note of the fact that the date of the birth centenary of Shri Virchand Gandhi of hallowed name had just passed this, even though Virchandbhai had represented Jainism at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago.
Virchand Gandhi was born on 25 th August, 1864; so his centenary year would commence in 1963. I drew the attention of Shri Kantilal Dahyabhai Kora, who was then the Registrar of Shri Mahavira Jaina Vidyalaya (and later its Director). Kantibhai said, 'You are right, but then we should start planning the centenary right now'.
As I belong to Mahuva, I corresponded with Shri Bachubhai Gandhi and Shri Rasikbhai Gandhi, the grandsons of Virchandbhai. I asked them if they could guide me to the unpublished writings of Virchandbhai and the medals with which he was awarded. In reply, the grandsons decided to donate all the literature and the medals, etc. to Shri Mahavira Vidyalaya. Shri Chandulal Vardhaman Shah, Shri Kantilal D. Kora and myself went to Mahuva. A notebook in the handwriting of Virchandbhai, some correspondence and the gold medals as well as a casket were officially donated to the Vidyalaya. In 1970, Shri Mahavira Jaina Vidyalaya published a book called 'The Systems of Indian Philosophy', based on an unpublished manuscript. In 1987, the first edition of this book, written by me was published.
The Jain Associations in North America had established a fund called Shri Virchand Gandhi Scholarship Fund. The association decided to celebrate the death-centenary of Virchand Gandhi. Its organiser Shri Pravinchandra C. Shah,
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