Jain Spirit 2002 03 No 10

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 12

GLOBAL NEWS
CHRISTIAN NATIVITY CELEBRATED BY JAIN CHILDREN
Christmas is a major festival in the western world. In England many schools organise nativity plays, which narrate the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. Jain children all over the UK participated in their school nativity productions without hesitation. This is a symbol of the openness and respect for other faiths, which is in the heart of Jains all over the world.
V. SHANTARAM IMMORTALISED ON STAMP
The Indian Postal Department have issued a postal stamp to commemorate Shri V. Shantaram, a pioneer of the Indian film industry. The stamp was released
on 18 November 2001 and Jain film-maker
marked the centenary birth remembered anniversary of the film producer. Shantaram was a true pioneer and pushed back the boundaries of film making in the modern era. His film Ranisaheba (1930) was the first children's film, Sairendhri (1933) the first colour film and Jambukaka (1936) the first animation film. Shantaram won many national and international awards for his film-making. In 1936 he won a Certificate of Merit at the Venice Film Festival in 1936. At the Cannes Film Festival in 1952 Shantaram received the Best Sound Recording Award for his film Amar Bhoopali. However, his most successful film was Do Aankhen Bara Haath (1957), winning awards from the Hollywood Press Association, The Berlin Film Festival, Pope Catholic Award and it was also named Best Film of 1957. Shantaram won numerous other awards throughout his career including Best Director, Best Editing and also the Jain Samaj Ratna Award.
GANDHI - A MANAGEMENT GURU?
2 October 2001, Evanston, IL, USA: Mahatma Gandhi would have had a lot to teach management students today. He knew the importance of "customer focus" long before the term was invented and was equally adapt at negotiating, according to Dipak Jain, Dean of the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University. Jain was speaking at a symposium on "Gandhi in the 21st Century" organised by the consulate general of India and Dipak Jain the School of Management.
The most important lesson he had learnt from Gandhiji, Jain said, was the value of teamwork. "Gandhi knew the value of the win-win situation for everyone concerned. He knew how to make the pie bigger. It was his belief that one can never go up in life by putting down another," he said. One of the secrets of Gandhi's success as a leader was his belief in inclusion rather than a hierarchical structure. Gandhi also practised restraint when dealing with a volatile situation. He knew well that "a moment of silence can save you years of grief". Gandhi used "team work" to fight for national causes, from the Salt Satyagraha to the freedom movement. Gandhi had taught him the virtues of humility and how to keep a low profile. He also taught us to earn respect rather than demand it. “It is one's deeds, not his or her position, that is permanent," Jain added.
Lloyd Rudolph, professor at the University of Chicago, said that Gandhi's legacy could be gauged from the fact that he was the first Asian to make it to the cover of the Time magazine in 1930 as "Man of the Year", and that Time also named Gandhi as one of the three people who had influenced the 20th century.
JAINA BEGIN CONSTRUCTION
The Jain Associations In North America (JAINA) have handed over Rs. 10m ($212,000) to the Vardhmannagar Township Trustees as part of the first instalment for the construction of the new Vardhmannagar town. A ceremony held on the 26 October 2001 saw JAINA representative Mr. Bachubhai Ajmera hand over the cheque to the Governor of Gujarat, Honorable Sundersinh Bhandari. In total, JAINA will hand over $500,000.
The town will house 250 families and will be situated approximately 6.3 km away from Bhuj, Kutch. There will also be a school, kindergarten, library, computer centre, science JAINA representative Mr. Bachubhai Ajmera
presenting a cheque of Rs.10m centre, medical clinic and a community hall. It is expected that the project will be
to the Governor of Gujarat, completed by the start of the next monsoon season.
Honorable Sundersinh Bhandari.
March - May 2002. Jain Spirit
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