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88 : Śramaņa, Vol 62, No. 2 April-June 2011
which later on founded “Parshwanath Vidyapeeth” at Varanasi under guidance of Pt. Sukhlal Sanghvi. Lala Harjas Rai Ji served as Honorary Secretary of this august Institute for more than forty years. In his endeavours he got full support of his family, and his friends like Lala Shri Tribhuvan Nath ji Jain, the first President of Parshwanath Vidyapeeth, Lala Shri Muni Lal ji and Prof. Mast Ramji helped him a lot.
Late Lala Harjas Rai Ji had a deep regard for the wise and he himself was a scholar. Few people know that he rendered the English translation of “Ardhamagadhi-kosh” authored by Shatavadhani Pt. Ratan Chand 'ji Ma. Sa.
Parshwanath Vidyapeeth started a Lecture Series in the name of Late Lala Harjas Rai Jain in 2008 in which many scholars of repute have delivered their talks on different aspects of Jaina Religion, culture and philosophy. Today, Shri Harjas Rai Ji is not amongst us, but, his ideals are still with us and being furthered in the form of progress by Parshwanath Vidyapeeth. Thus what was planted as a seedling and nurtured so lovingly by Lala ji has today grown to be a many faceted tree that has not only been recognized locally, but also earned respect globally in Jainological Research. Being inspired by his life and deeds, his two sons -- Shri Bhupendra Nath Jain and Shri Romesh Chandra Barar and his grandson -- Shri Indrabhooti Barar, son of Late Shri Amar Chandra Jain have all helped place Parshwanath Vidyapeeth at the crest of the Indian Academia.
