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LDII News in short
Compiler : Balaji Ganorkar
Former President of India, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam has inaugurated the Electronic Library of Ancient Manuscripts :
Dr. A. P.J. Abdul Kalam, Former President of India, has inaugurated the ambitious Electronic Library Project at Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Institute of Indology in Ahmedabad on 11th November. This is the first Jain Library in its type for the users of Scholars in Indology who has launched the digitization of manuscripts and old and rare books. As this institute is especially dedicated to the Indological Studies and Research, there are more than 75,000 Manuscripts and 50,000 printed books on Indology as well as a large number of Litho Prints of Books. Dr. Kalam appreciated the works and projects running here and expressed that the new innovation would be useful for the scholars and will be welcomed by global world. On this occasion he spoke on Spirituality in Religion. He told that the world is in search of peace and prosperity. This will be ensured only by spiritual practice of the annihilation of ego. All religious practices lead to only one goal and that is to annihilate the ego. If they will concentrate for this it would be possible. In our society, our education system teaches kids and young to leave ego, thus the concentration of brain is possible. Dr. Kalam remembered Tirthankar Mahavir and Jain Philosophy and expressed that the Jain Philosophy and ethical standards are the synonyms of Ahimsa (i.e. non-violence). Tirthankar Mahavir was a great teacher. On this occasion Dr. Kalam has released Gujarati Translation of Dr. Homi Dhalla's Many Faces of Peace titled book. This book was translated by Dr. Shridevi Mehta and Prof. Prashant Dave and edited by Dr. J. B. Shah.
The program started with lighting of the lamp by Dr. Kalam and other dignitaries and invocation of Goddess Saraswati by the students of Rachna School. Mr. Mehulbhai Shah introduced the Electronic Library Project and