PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Dear Sadharmik brothers and sisters,
Jai Jinendra!

Australian bushfires have created disasters across the country which we cannot even imagine. JAINA prays for the millions of lives lost or affected in these raging fires and hopes they find peace, solace and speedy recovery.

JAINA and Mumbai University Jain students and faculty members carried out a highly successful JAB competition event at Kalina campus of Mumbai University on Saturday, January 11. please check out the details below.

We are too excited about JAINA’s second major event of the year 2020 - the first International Jain Conference. It will be held at Ahmedabad University on January 18-19, 2020. We are expecting many dignitaries at the event. Read more about it below.

Sincerely,
Mahesh Wadher
JAINA President

PRAY FOR AUSTRALIA AND DONATE

Australian bushfires have created disasters across the country. The unprecedented fire rages have devastated native wildlife and livestock populations. Ecologist, Chris Dickman, estimated that more than 480 million animals have been killed directly by the fires, or died from lack of food or shelter, or as a result of predation following the disaster. The estimate is only for the state of New South Wales (NSW), which has been most affected by the fires, and does not include insects, bats or frogs — so the total number of animals killed across the country is likely to be much higher. “Over a billion would be a very conservative figure,” Dickman told.

Less mobile species like Koalas have died around 8,000 of them from the fires. That’s almost one-third of all koalas in NSW, which forms their main habitat. At least, 24 people have died and more than 1,800 homes have been destroyed since the bush-fire season started in September.

Images and videos of animals affected and died in these fires are heart-wrenching. Let us pray for the lives affected by this disaster may find peace, solace and speedy recovery

JAINA World Community Service committee has launched a fund drive to help provide essential crisis assistance to the affected people and animals.

Please make your tax-deductible contribution through JAINA at the link below.

THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL JAIN CONFERENCE

We are just a week away from the first International Jain Conference at Ahmedabad University Campus, which is on January 18 & 19, 2020. This event is co-organized by JAINA, World Jain Confederation, JITO Ahmedabad Chapter, and Shrutratnakar Trust. There is no registration requirement for attending the conference. The conference aim is to ‘Bring Jainism to all of humanity’. The conference highlights are:

1. Jain Lexicon - New web portal launch
2. Pahini Devi - One-act play
3. Agyan Timir Bhaskar - New edition of the Granth releasing
4. A Verb Dictionary - Inauguration of the first comprehensive Gujarati Verb-Dictionary

Read more about the Conference here.

JAB EVENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI

JAINA in association with Jain Academy Education Research (Mumbai) has carried out the first JAB competition in India today on January 11, 2020.

JAINA President Shri Mahesh Wadher, First Vice President Haresh Shah and JAINA Past president Dilip V. Shah along with JAB coordinators Sunil Vakharia, Raj Salecha, YJA Co-Chair Parshwa Vakharia were present at the event. More than 450 Mumbai residents filled the auditorium and cheered the contestants on as they witnessed 5 very energetic and enthusiastic teams from various geographical communities of Mumbai compete. Prizes were awarded to meritorious students of Jainism at the University of Mumbai.JAINA has invited one Mumbai University team to come to the 2021 JAINA Convention to participate in the JAB competition.

JAIN CENTER NEWS

On January 1, 2020, Jain Center of Greater Boston had organized Navkar Mantra Jaap at their Jain Center to start the New Year with all positivities. They also had Bhaktamar Paath and later everyone enjoyed homemade snacks.

JAIN STORY: A BRAVE PIG

QUOTE

Eating constitutes the greatest obstacle to self-control; it gives rise to indolence.

- Bhagwan Mahavir

YJP UPDATE

YJP is excited to release its winter issue of YJPerspectives themed on “Discover." In this issue, young Jain professionals take a deep dive into the topic of growth through self-discovery: http://bit.ly/YJPerspectivesDEC19