________________
160
Part IV. Rise and Glory
London, North West London, South London, West London, Leicester, Luton and Northmptonshire.
The Oshwal Association of U.K of South area was established in 1972 A.D. In 1974 A.D. a Gujarati school was started in a rented hall. Now there are 234 students and 12 teachers. Now the classes are held in mahajanwadi. In 1982 A.D., it purchased a church property at a cost of £135,000. The church needed repairs. The community spent about £100,000 to make the necessary modifications to make it usable as a mahajanwadi. In 1990 A.D. a music school was started. In 1991 A.D., a ghar derasar (shrine) was opened in the mahajanwadi. The Gujarati school now operates from this building.
Oshwal Mahila Mandal: A Mahila Mandal (Women's Association) was established in the South London area in 1975 A.D. Pushpaben Jayantilal Virchand Virpal served as President for a total of eight year, probably a record for any Oshwal organization. The Mandal is very active and it conducts several activities such as cooking classes, art classes, exhibitions, competitions, dinners, and musical programs for the benefit of Oshwals.
Future plans are to establish a Jain library equipped with books in all the languages and on all subjects (religion, art, philosophy, yoga, meditation and so on). Journals, audio-visual materials, and material on other non-religious subjects like literature and culture will be added.
United States of America
The first Oshwal to come to the USA for education and training was Jethalal Khimchand Kachara Gudhka of Kenya. He came to New York in 1945/1946 A.D. and stayed for about three years. In 1948/1949 A.D., four more Oshwals came to the USA for studies.
