JAINA Convention 2005 07 JCNC

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 43

event was covered very well by the press in India, U.K. and USA.
The JAINA Executive Committee met in St. Louis, Mo. in November, 1990. Two ad-hoc committees were formed: an Election Committee and an Award Committee. The award committee was charged with recognition of individuals for his/her contributions in promotion of Jainism in North America. A delegation from the Jain Center of Northern California briefed the committee on preparations for the 1991 convention.
The Sixth
The Sixth Biennial JAINA convention was held in 1991 and hosted by the Jain Center of Northern California. This convention achieved a major milestone in the history of the JAINA Conventions. It catapulted the convention into a national Jain conference, an event attended by all Jains, young and old. The convention was attended by record breaking 5,000 people including 1000 youths. The venue for the convention was the world famous Stanford University and was organized around the theme: "Extending Jain Heritage to the Next Generation." The main speakers at the convention included Acharya Sushil Muni, Gurudev Chitrabhanu, Dr. N. P. Jain, Dr. L. M. Singhvi, Gov. Jerry Brown and Lt. Gov. Leo McCarthy of California. The con- vention was organized into many parallel tracks with sessions and panel discussions on Jain Philosophy, Literature, and Art. The speakers included a mix of religious leaders as well as professors from major universities. Dr. Sulekh Jain was re-elected as JAINA President and Dr. Prem Gada was given a JAINA Award. The success of this convention could be seen at the next convention at Pittsburgh, which had to be held at a major convention center just to accommodate all the attendees because of its sheer numbers. It is fitting that we are back here in Northern California, fourteen years later to celebrate JAINA's 25th year at the center where the modern convention idea was born. In August of 1991, Pratistha Mahotsav at Siddhachalam attracted the largest gathering of Jains from the USA and all over the world.
Biennial JAINA convention was
held in 1991 and hosted by
in Center of Northern
zia. This convention
achieved a major milestone in the history of
the JAINA Conventions
In December 1992 JAINA was honored by the Lok Sabha Speaker Dr. Shivraj Patil at the Parliament House.
The Seventh Biennial JAINA Convention was in Pittsburgh in 1993.It was attended by 4,000 people. Dr. Jagat Jain was elected President of JAINA and Dr. Dhiraj Shah was awarded the JAINA Ratna award. An exhibit of more than 400 masterpieces of art and literature collected from the National Museum of India, American Institute of Indian Studies, Bharatiya Janpith, Jaibhikhhu Trust etc. was displayed. This was the largest Jain exhibition in the west and perhaps the best ever seen. Also in 1993, JAINA was invited to the White House. The occasion was the signing of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (H. R. 1308) by President Clinton. Amrendra Muni, Naresh Jain, Arvind Vora, Peter Bheda, Harshad Lakhani and Dr. Dhiraj Shah attended this prestigious ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White
tending Jain Herit.
in Heritage in Wester
Stern Environment
www.
nelibrary.org