Jain Journal 2003 07

SR No.: 520151
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 2003
Total Pages: 64
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 4 MB

Page 43

JAIN JOURNAL: VOL-XXXVIII, NO. 1 JULY 2003 NEWS ON JAINISM AROUND THE WORLD
Under the programme of teaching, the Bhogilal Leherchand Institute of Indology conducted 2 Refresher Courses (Elementary & Advanced) in Prakrit Language and Literature with effect from May 25 till the Valedictory Function on June 15, 2003.
Presentation of a panel of 44 pictures of the Kalyan Mandir Stotra, a Jain Devotional Hymn, to the BLII, was the first event. The panel has been prepared on copper plates with gold plating and safety coating to preserve the pictures from the effects of weather. The pictures are highly artistic and worth seeing. The pictures have made the Museum of Jain Art and Culture many times worth visiting than it was. It was presented to the BILL by Seth Rajendra Shah of Bombay who came all the way to Delhi for the presentation ceremony.
After this, presentation-prizes, First, Second and Third in the order of merit to participants of the two schools and their certificates were presented.
The most iinportant part of the programme was the conferment of the Acharya Hemachandrasuri Puraskar of Rs. 51,000/-, a shawl and a golden statue of Acharya Hemachandrasuri, to the awardees. The awardees were Dr. G.V. Tagare of Pune, and Dr. N.J. Shah of Ahmedabad. The awards were presented over by the famous critic and author Dr. Namwar Singh and Mrs. Laila Mulgoakar, Chief Office of the U.S. Library of Congress, now in Delhi.
Dr. Nagin J Shah, one of the two awardees put a very great emphasis on putting a stop to the loss of interest in Sanskrit studies among the Jains. After the initial period of 800-900 years (3rd 4th cent. A.D.)
Devoted to literary and religious activity through the medium of Prakrit, Umāsvāti the great, by his Tattvārtha-sūtra, adopted Sanskrit as the medium of expression. After Umāsvāti, many great Jain philosophers, thinkers and logicians wrote their works on philosophy, logic and epistemology in Sanskrit. The Buddhist philosophers also adopted Sanskrit as a medium of expression for philosophical works and their highly intellectual writings on Logic. Without supplementing