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complementing sister Jain organizations, expanding and reinforcing the
Sadharmik Vatsalya among our Jain community. There was very favorable
response. Thisdialogcontinuedforalmostayear.
Finally, we had the first formative, founding dinner meeting in May
1984. There were 60 members and 10 invited guests from Jain Center
Committeeandcommunityleaders. Therewasopendiscussion,constitution
was proposed and adopted, andthefirst Executive Committee was elected
with Mahendra Khandharas president, Kalpana Shahas vice president, Jitu
Shah as secretary, Harshad Modyastreasurer, Harsha Patadia as public
relations and Malti Maheta, Pallavi Sheth, SuryakantBelani & Vinod Mehta
as membersat large. With almost 50 % ladies in the Executive Committee,
includingVPandPRofficers,itwasfirstinJSGhistory.
JSG-LAwas formally inaugurated in Sep 1984. More than 150 JSG
members,officers from several groups, Federation officers and friends came
from India. There were many invited VIPs anddignitaries,e.g., well known
philanthropist Dipchandbhai Gardi, Prof. Padmanabh Jaini, JAINA founder
president Lalit C. Shah, Jain Center Presidents Shirish Seth (current) &
Kalyanjibhai Mota (former), Vice President Dr. Manibhai Mehta, Chicago
JSGfounderpresident Dr.Arvind Shah, Dr. RashmikantGardi and others. It
wasagrandsuccessfulfunction. .
The founding period of 1984-86, saw stabilization ofour group with
moderate growth. Being in both the executive committees, the Jain Center
and Jain Social Group, I was able to develop good rapport with our larger
sister organization LA Jain Center. Succeeding Administrations have done
wonderfuljobofgrowth,varietyofprograms andbrotherhood(JSG mottoof
work and walk together). The next administration of Anil Shah was on
explosive growthpath, almost doubling the group size. Then, chronological
administrations ofSudhir Sheth, RajendraVora, Subodh Sheth, Dr. Mahipal
Shah, DhirenMehta,PradipDalal,Raj Dhami andMaheshSanghviprovided
growth and leadership. Pradip Dalal contributed the special leadership of
unityandstabilitybymultipleterms.
Over the years JSG-LA has donated money to charities. Four
membership directories have been published. JSG always supports Jain
Center fully in all its endeavors. Our JSG group contributed $15,000 to
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