International Summer School In Jain Academic Education 2006 @ HereNow4U

To our friends, donors, supporters and well-wishers, we want to share with you the to date progress of this Summer School.

All is a GO. Classes will start on June 1 in Delhi and end on July 31st in Delhi. During this period, classes will be held in Delhi, Jaipur, Ladnun, Ahmedabad, Pune, Sravanbelgola, Aligarh and Delhi.
In just one year, we have really doubled the class size and participation is truly international.
Last year we had seven (7) Scholars participating (one Professor and 6 students; M.A and Ph.D.) from 4 universities (3 in USA and 1 in Canada).
This year we have 14 Scholars (4 Professors and 10 MA. and Ph.D. students) from 4 countries (7 from USA, 4 from Canada, 2 from Thailand and 1 from Singapore) representing 13 universities (7 in USA, 3 in Canada, 2 in Thailand and 1 in Singapore). Please see the attachment for their short bio /blurbs. You will find their background and interests very varied.
One more good news is that two of the scholars (from the class of 2005) are returning to India to assist, and teach the 2006 classes.
This year, not only the mix is much broader (for the first time we have participation from the University of Loma Linda, College of Medicine and Public Health to study Jain dietary habits, meditation and life style and its effects on healing and good health) but also participation by four very senior level Professors from four Universities.
There are several Scholars who have good proficiencies in Hindi and Sanskrit languages and also in Jainism and Indian philosophies. Several of the Professors are authors of books and many research papers. According to Prof. Cromwell Crawford (Architect of this program and Chairman of the Academic Council), the participation of such high caliber people speaks volumes of the significance of this program.
In two years, we will have connected and trained nearly 18-20 Scholars (two years ago this was zero). Currently we have regular offerings on classes in Jainism at 2 Universities /colleges but by next year we will have expanded this to 6 or more places.
We have also been contacted by several Scholars who are seriously interested in attending 2007 Summer School. In fact one Professor (Dr. Jeffery D. Long, Assistant Professor of Religion & Asian Studies, Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA 17022) is writing a College level stand alone Text book on Jainism and he will be working with us during its preparation which is expected to take about six months. Such a Text book will fill a much needed big gap in the introduction of regular courses in Jainism at more and more Universities.
A tiny seed planted last year is now a plant and is growing every day. We thank you for your interest and support.
Please visit the web site www.jainstudies.com for many other details; syllabus and venue where the classes will be conducted in June and July, 2006. We are working to improve the quality and contents of the web site, hopefully soon.
Prof. Cromwell Crawford is home and making very good progress with his recovery from a stroke.
FUNCTIONS IN DELHI
We want to invite you to the following two functions in Delhi.
- June 4 (Sunday), 2006 Inaugural Function at India International Center, New Delhi.
  All the Scholars of Class 2006 will be presented / introduced to the Jain community.
- July 30 (Sunday), 2006
  Graduation and Valedictory Function at India International Center, New Delhi
  Hope you will plan to come to one or both the functions.

For details of the above two functions and about ISSJS, please contact
Dr. Shugan Chand Jain, India Program
Director
D 28, Panchsheel Enclave, New Delhi, 110017
Ph; 91 11 2649 3931 and 91 98 1813 9000
email;

Like last year, a beautiful brochure has been published for 2006 program and will be mailed to you in due course.
We are interested in your feedback and comments. Please do not hesitate to contact us.

Jai Jinendera,
Sulekh C. Jain

Sulekh C. Jain, Ph.D
4502 Saint Michaels Court,
Sugar Land, TX 77479
281 494 7656, 832 594 8005 (cell)
E-Mail: