________________
JAINA2015
by any measure a complete list of all things JAINA has done and I may have unintentionally overlooked the contributions of many others. I offer my humble apology to those unmentioned contributors to JAINA's growth. These are simply one person's observations.
THE BEGINNING: As early as 1979, the idea of creating a federation to bring together all Jain centers was an active debate in the Los Angeles Jain center. Lalit Shah, one of the co-founders of the Jain Center of Southern California, talked to many Jains around the country about organizing a convention over the Memorial day weekend in 1981. At the same time Acharya Shri Sushil Kumarji was talking with Dr. Salgia in Ohio and many other people about the need of a unified organization of all Jains. When Lalit Shah talked to Salgiaji, they agreed to meet in Los Angeles in May of 1981. Only four centers officially participated (Jain Centers of Washington D.C., Cleveland, Northern California and Southern California) but there were many participants from other centers. Both Gurudev Shri Chitrabhanuji and Acharya Shri Sushil Kumarji graced the two-day gathering. Dr Padmanabh Jaini was the invited scholar for that first meeting and Lalit Shah was named as the President for the next two years of this new organization. Salgiaji had brought with him a draft of constitution that was modified somewhat and accepted as an ad hock constitution. The name of the organization at the time was Federation of Jain Organization of North America. They all agreed to meet again in New York within two years to ratify the constitution and formalize the organization. The India West newspaper provided extensive news coverage of the event.
THE BEGINNING:As early as 1979,
the idea of creating a federation to bring together
all Jain centers was an active debate
in the Los Angeles Jain
center
After the convention, Lalitbhai and Acharya Sushil Kumarji went to Las Vegas to look at a wooden replica of Palitana temple that was sent to the St. Louis World Fair by Government of India in 1904. Intricately and exquisitely hand carved of teak wood, the temple stood 35 ft high at its central tower and 20 square feet at its base. The entire Temple weighed close to 14 tons. Eventually the Temple landed at the Castaway Casino Hotel in Las Vegas. At this location, the wishing well of the Temple was used to collect coins from visitors for "Good Luck." From that day efforts to stop the desecration of our sacred shrine and acquiring it for our proper use started. After a long struggle, the temple was finally acquired and put on display by the Jain Center of Southern California in Los Angeles.
In May of 1983, the Second Jain Convention was held in NY and was attended by approximately 200 people. After much debate, a constitution was adopted. The name of the organization was changed to the Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA). Representatives of 11 Centers signed the new constitution. Dr. Manoj Dharamsi was elected as President. In December of 1985 the IRS recognized JAINA as a 501 (c)(3) corporation, a tax-exempt organization. In 1992, JAINA was registered as a non-profit corporation in the State of Virginia. Manojbhai made the
Los Angeles, CA
Extending Jain Herit
in Western Environn
Vironment
31
Jain Education International 2010_03
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
