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LALA GOPI CHAND JAIN
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being decorated with big grand Jain temples and other educational institutions. It was he who sent Virchand Raghavji Gandhi as a representative of Jain faith to the great World's Parliament of religions at Chicago and in the book “ The World's Parliament of Religions " he was eulogised as follows :
"No man has so peculiarly identified himself with the interests of the Jain Community as Muni Atmaramji. He is one of the noble band sworn from the day of initiation to the end of life to work day and night for the high mission they have undertaken. He is the high priest of the Jain Community and is recognised as the highest living authority on Jain Religion and and Literature by Oriental Scholars."
The Kesariwala family at first belonged to the Sthanakvasi sect of the Jains but under the guidance of the said Acharya was initiated into the Swetambar sect.
Lala Gopi Chand is the eldet son of Lala Gonda Mal, the younger brother of Lala Nanak Chand. He was born on the 20th February, 1878. Lala Nanak Chand was a great patron of learning and a premi of Dharma and was very fond of reading religious books and also knew some astrology, and it was due to his influence that Lala Gopi Chand had from the very beginning been devoted towards Dharma. He took the B.A. degree in 1900. He joined the Ambala Bar in 1905 and became High Court Vakil in 1923 and an Advocate in 1926.
Among the Swetambar Jains of the Punjab, who are mostly engaged in trade it is worthy of note that he is the first graduate and Lawyer.
Along with English education he has not been backward in the study of religious books. His peaceful and genial nature, his excellent manners and his great love for his Jain brothers have earned him much respect from the Jains and non-Jains equally. In a word he is described by the able editor of the Jain Pardip as the • High-i-Rawan " the leading soul of Punjab Swetambar Samaj.
Notwithstanding his English Education he is a strict follower of Jain principles. Every day morning without fail he performs worship in the Jain temple and does Pratikraman (Sandhia) in the
evening. Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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