Gandhi Before Gandhi

Author(s): Bipin Doshi, Priti Shah
Publisher: Jain Academy Educational Research Center Promotion Trust Mumbai

Page 190

GANDHI BEFORE GANDHI
DETE
JAINA'S VRG Projects (Federation of Jain Association in North America)
Shri Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya :
1. Muni Atmaramjee was Guru of Acharya Vijay Vallabhsuri
M.S. (Founder of Vidyalay) II. Vidyalay has published few books on VRG III. Team from Vidyalay went to Mahuva and brought
VRG's medals, memorials, etc. and preserved them at Shri Mahavir Jain Vidyalay, in Mumbai in 1964, for future Museum
Scholarship Project: JAINA had established VRG Scholarship in 1997. It started awarding these scholarships in 2001, that being the 2600th birth anniversary year of Bhagwan Mahaveer and co-incidentally the death centenary year of VRG. The main project was to promote studies in Jainism, spread Bhagwan Mahaveer's message of non-violence and universal love, which was the lifetime goal of VRG. More than 50 scholarships have been awarded.
Institute of Jainology (OJ) jointly with JAINA had extensive collection of VRG material exhibited at the Parliament of World Religions event in 1993. They also installed VRG's bust at Chicago Jain temple in the same year.
Publications Project: The VRG Committee has published VRG's Biography Jyotirdharni Jivan Gatha' in Gujarati in 2001, his death centenary year and 2600th birth year of Bhagvan Mahavir. Later in 2003, English version titled "Biography of Forgotten Hero Shri Virchand Raghavji Gandhi" and other book "Glimpses of Jainism" were published.
Guruji Shri Chitrabhanuji
During his monk-hood he was pioneer to initiate celebration of VRG's Birth Centenary in 1964. This was done exactly on 25th August, 1964 (VRG was born on Aug. 25, 1864) in Fort, Mumbai. He is a great force behind various initiatives taken by JAINA for VRG mission.
To commemorate the centenary of his attending the Parliament of World Religions in 1893 he was honored by following activities a. By erecting his statue at the Chowk at his birth town Mahuva, Gujarat
in 1993. (Courtesy:Champaklal Vagda, Mahua) b. The Ohio Historical Society, Ohio State by giving a big bronze plaque
to Jain Center of Cincinnati/Dayton in 1994, marking 100 years of VRG's lecture in Cleveland, Ohio on Sept. 18, 1894 mentioning that
Shri V.R. Gandhi brought Jainism to the Ohio State. c. By installing his statue at the temple at Jain Center of Chicago in 1995.
Mr. Pravin C Shah (Jaina VRG committee chairman) and his team has
contributed a lot for VRG mission
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