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Dear Sadharmiks,
Jai Jinendra! Pranam!
On behalf of the JAINA Executive Committee and Board of directors, I wish you and your loved ones a very happy, healthy, peaceful, and spiritually uplifting 2022! As a new President of JAINA, I am thankful to all of you for trusting me to lead the vibrant JAINA organization and take it further to new heights.
My tenure as a president of JAINA began with a short trip to India. My first stop was Dharampur, near Valsad. I was fortunate to be able partake in the Ashtanika Pratistha Mahotsav. What a pious and joyful event! The new majestic 108 pillars Mahavirswami temple in all white marble will make Dharampur a Tirth one should not miss. Hundreds of NRIs from the US participated including President Maheshbhai and past JAINA President Kirit Daftary. At Dharampur, I met many dignitaries and scholars like Shri Lokesh Muni and the past Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Vijay Rupani who conveyed his appreciation for JAINA’s humanitarian and charitable activities in Gujrat. After Pratistha day, had an audience with Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai Jhaveri and P.P. Shri Rajhans Suriji.
From Dharampur, I went to nearby Shantiniketan at Tithal – to receive blessings from P.P. Shri Jinchandraji Maharaj and Shri Kirtichandraji (Triputi Bandhu). I got a chance to see the construction in progress of Vaiyavach Dham for Sadhus or Sadhvis of all sects.
Next, I went to Navsari where Acharya Shri Ratnasundarsuriswarji MS was in residence. Since he was familiar with many of JAINA’s Vaiyavach projects in India, he encouraged JAINA to work with ALERT group that has a few chapters in America. From Navsari I traveled to Rajkot where on January 4th, Shri Dhirajmuni was to inaugurate a medical center and a Vaiyavach center. I was invited to speak about JAINA in the presence of Tarlaben Doshi and Maheshbhai Wadher.
Ahmedabad was the next stop. I went to Gujarat Vishwakosh office of Padma Shri Kumarpal Desai to thank him for his daily lectures during Paryushan. While in Ahmedabad, I visited Pandit Shri Jitendra B. Shah of Shrutratnakar. He took me and JAINA office manager Dhimen Vora to the Shrutratnakar Adhyayan Kendra site at Panchasar town near Sankheswar. The construction work is in progress at this upcoming campus to educate our Sadhus, Sadhvis and Shravaks on various Jain Topics. This Vaiyavach project is partially funded by JAINA.
As is traditional for all the past JAINA Presidents, I attended the opening of the 48th Medical camp at Bidada Sarvodaya Trust hospital in Kutch. The Vaiyavach Committee of JAINA has provided support to the upashrayas at BST. Chairman Shri Vijay Chheda gave me an extensive tour of the eight Upashrayas that were hosting over 100 Sadhus and Sadhvis on that day.
I was privileged to be invited to the inauguration of Nandi Sarovar Ahimsa Dham in Kutch. This project includes an animal shelter, a hospital, and an agenda of planting 500,000 trees, a water retention system, Israel-style farming, planting all kinds of Ayurvedic plants, and organic farming.
I returned to Ahmedabad and visited Vardhman Sanskar Dham. Chairman Shri Lalitbhai Dhami and the trustees praised JAINA’s Vaiyavach activities. Later Shri Lalitbhai took me to meet with Shri Samvegbhai, Chairman of the Anandji Kalyanji Pedhi.
From Ahmedabad, I headed to Mumbai and stopped by Padgha to pay respect to P. P. Shri Namramuniji. Padgha is the site for Namramuniji’s new ashram under construction. I got to see a museum of Jain history that was very inspiring. In Mumbai, I also got the opportunity to visit with Acharya Shri Arunvijayji who has been delivering a series of lectures on Jain Karma Theory to the Jains of North America.
The last stop was the meeting with the chairman of JAINA India Foundation – Dr. Bipin Doshi. At his home, he facilitated a meeting with representatives of ten Jain organizations in Mumbai including Jain Education and Empowerment Trust, Mumbai Jain Yuvak Sangh, Jain Jagruti Group, Kutch Yuvak Sangh, Samast Mahajan, The Jain Avenue team, Jain Sahitya Academy Trust, Applied Jainism Team, Jain Academy Education Research Center and Shree Kutchi Visa Oswal Jain Mahajan – Borivali
I wanted to meet other Mahatmas and dignitaries, but I had to cut short India visit due to Covid related health concerns. I returned to the US on January 14.
I and each member of the new Executive Committee look forward to serving you over the next two years.
Sincerely,
Haresh Shah,
JAINA President
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