Pratap Bhogilal Journey Through Life

Author(s): Rauf Ahmed
Publisher: Bhupendra Singh Anand

Page 77

THE JOURNEY | 71
the beginning of my long association with the Smarak. My interest in the Vallabh Smarak has continued to grow ever since. When the President of the Smarak, Ramlalji died, I was asked to take over as President, but I was reluctant. However, due to pressure from several members of the Smarak as well as Sadhvi Suvrataji, who was the successor to Sadhvi Mrugavatiji, I had to accept.
Pujya Sadhviji had a tremendous influence on my life. All the while before, I was grossly engrossed in business and had no time of thinking about the spirit/Atma (soul). She gradually in a very subtle manner took me on the path of spiritualism and today it is because of her influence and with meditation, pratikraman which has really brought me mental solace and "samtabhav" - i.e. equanimity and I hardly get irritated. Therefore, after my wife's demise, I have been taking life as it comes.
Bhogilal Leherchand Institute of Indology
After my father's demise my brother Mahesh and I decided to establish an Institute of Indology where research could be carried out on various religious faiths since my father was interested in comparative religion. During the last months of his illness, my father used to read the Gita to try and understand the similarities between Jainism and the Vedic religion. And he would often call Dr. Upadhaya to help him understand the commonality between Jainism and the Gita. After Bapaji's death, Mahesh and I thought of setting up some institute for research on various aspects of Indian religions and culture. That is how the Bhogilal Leherchand Institute of Indology was set up in Patan.
Since Mahesh was more into religion, I felt he would getinvolved seriously in the functioning of the Institute. We appointed Dr. V.M. Kulkarni, a Jain scholar, as Resident Director. He lived in our house at Patan and the institute started functioning from another house of ours there. We organised a memorial lecture in Bapaji's name every year and invited renowned scholars to speak. One year, I had invited Dr. Madhuriben Shah, the then Chairperson of the University Grants Commission, to deliver the memorial lecture. During the meeting, I suggested to her
Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons. - Ruth Ann Schabacjker