Jain Digest 2007 04

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

Page 42

NEWS & EVENTS
Jain Digest summer 2007
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Award of Excellence'
Dr. Sulekh Jain has received the 2007 "Award of Excellence" from International Jain Sangh (IJS) of New Jersey at the Mahavir Jayanti celebration program on April 1, 2007. Each year IJS honors an exceptionally worthy person, who has visibly and verifiably demonstrated a great service to further the teachings of Lord Mahavir including peace, nonviolence, Jain education, and compassion either by practice or by influencing public policies, media coverage or through interfaith programs. Instituted in 2001, the former recipients of this prestigious award were Mr.Bawa Jain, Dr. Dhiraj H.Shah, Mr. Arvind Vora, Dr. Tansukh Salgia and Mr. Pravin K.Shah.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Jain shared his experiences about promoting nonviolence outside Jain community and accepted the award in the name of the International Summer School for Jain Studies. Mr. Naresh Jain, IJS VicePresident, JAINA Interfaith Co-Chair, and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Parliament of World's Religions, Chicago; introduced Dr. Jain to the several hundred people and dignitaries gathered in this 2606th anniversary celebration. Dr. Jain is a former President of JAINA, and Founder / Co-Founder of several organizations including Jain Center of Greater Boston, Jain society of Houston, Jain Digest Magazine, JAINA Library, Young Jains of America. Jain Center of Central Ohio at Columbus, Jain Academic Foundation of North America, Mahavir World Vision Inc., World Council of Jain Academies, JVB Preksha Meditation Center in Houston and International Summer School for Jain Studies (ISSJS).
The Jayanti celebration started with Mahavir Swami Puja followed by a Pledge for Mutual Respect and Nonviolence by all attendees; and religious sermons and prayers by
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War Education International
Munishree Lokprakash Lokesh and Samani Mudit Pragya and Swami Paripurnananda Saraswati. After this a grand cultural program depicting the life and teachings of Lord Mahavir was presented by 50 local youth and children hosted by a well known community member Juhi Jain and choreographed by an accomplished Bharat Natyam Artist Divya Jain who has several performances in interfaith programs to her credit.
Shri V.R. GANDHI SCHOLARSHIP 2006-07 DISBURSEMENT CEREMONY HELD
A small ceremony, presided over by Shri Dipchand Gardi, arranged by our VRG India Subcommittee in collaboration with Jain Association of India, was held in Mumbai for disbursement of 2006-07 VRG Scholarships. VRG India subcommittee Admiministrator Mrs. Rakshaben J. Shah and Commitee co-chair Shri Chandrakant M. Shah, who was visiting India, were present and they both addressed a large gathering.
One of the scholarship recipients, Shri Kantibhai R. Shah, Jain Academy, M.S. University, Vadodara later had sent us the following comments.
"Shri Pravinbhai, I am very grateful to you for awarding me a scholarship of Rs. 10, 000/- from V.R.G. Trust. You will be glad to know that Shri kalidas Sakalchand Doshi, Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara has started the certificate course in jainology from January 2007. I had delivered two lectures for the above course on "Navtatva" and "Karma" on dt. 12th January and 13th January 2007. I had given them the syllabus for certificate and diploma course in Jainology.