VARANASI : Banaras Hindu University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with “Jain Education Institutes Support”, a not-for-profit trust in New Delhi. As part of the MoU, BHU will receive a donation of Rs. 1.05 crore to set up Bhagwan Shreyasnath Jain Study Fund. The Jain Education Institutes Support is instituted by eminent people including Dr. Jasvant Modi, Shri Harshad Shah, Dr. Sulekh Jain, Dr. Shugan C. Jain and others. Dr. Shugan C. Jain along with Mrs. Sharmila Jain Oswal, vice chairperson of JAINA Diaspora and Shri Bimal Prasad Jain had recently visited Banaras Hindu University and held discussions with Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sudhir K Jain and the concerned faculty members on the way forward of the collaboration.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sudhir K Jain has formed a four-member “Programme Committee” for implementation of the MoU. The committee is chaired by Prof. Mukul Raj Mehta, Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts, while Prof. Ashok Kumar Jain and Prof. Pradyumn Shah Singh, Department of Jain-Bauddha Darshan, Faculty of Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vijnan (SVDV), have been named members of the committee. Dr. Anand Kumar Jain, Department of Jain-Bauddha Darshan, Faculty of SVDV, will be the member secretary of the committee.
The Bhagwan Shreyasnath Jain Study Fund will promote and support study and research in the field of Jainism. It will enable the scholars of Jain philosophy at BHU (both faculty members and PhD students) to effectively communicate to a wider international audience. The academic work on Jain philosophy under the initiative is proposed to be having emphasis on English as a medium of communication so as to have a wider reach for international audience.
“We are thankful to the Jain Education Institutes Support for this important gift. This gift is a significant step in varsity’s endeavor to raise philanthropic funds to support the scholarly work by our students and faculty members. It will also give a fillip to the efforts of taking ancient Indian knowledge systems to a larger audience. ” said the Vice Chancellor, Prof Sudhir Jain.
“This initial donation is a start to enable BHU to grow Jain studies into a vibrant program at the University. It is expected that eventually the donors will establish an endowed Chair at BHU to further scale up its studies and activities in Jain Darshan and Philosophy. The focus will be on Applied Jainism and its relevance in today’s world by taking a multidisciplinary approach,” said Ms Sharmila Jain Oswal, on behalf of the donors.
