Initiatives & Progress In Jain Studies

Dr. Sulekh C. Jain, Chairman Governing Council, International School for Jain Studies (ISJS)

Taken from a Powerpoint Presentation recently prepared for Uberoi Foundation Board meeting in Denver, Colorado.

Many Initiatives

1. We are working with Several universities in North America to promote Jain Studies.
2. Claremont Lincoln University (CLU) in Claremont, California is the main focus.
3. ISJS, JAINA, JCSC signed MOUs and the collaboration was inaugurated on September 6, 2011.
4. A grant of $16 K from Uberoi last year became a catalyst and we all are grateful.
5. Two web sites:
   
   • http://jain.claremontlincoln.org/
   • www.jainstudies.org
     
     

INITIATED A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH AT CLU

• Program guided by the practitioners of faith.
• Several persons from Jain Community
• provide leadership and devote nearly full time as volunteers.
• Good support from JCSC (Jain Center of Southern California) and community at large.
• Word is getting around in the academia and the community.
• Center for Jain Studies at CLU established on October 8, 2012
  
  

CURRENT & FUTURE PROGRAMS at CLU

TWO DAY ANNUAL CONFERENCES ON APPLIED DHARMA

• First International Conference on Bioethics
  August 2012. Nine religious traditions were represented.
• Women's Perspectives in the Dharma Traditions,
  August 2013. Funding secured. Planning has begun. All religious traditions will be invited to present papers.
• VRG Memorial lecture on Anekantavaad/ conflict resolution / application in Law and Justice (in planning stages) in April 2013.
• Two annual conferences
  
  

GRADUTE LEVEL COURSE OFFERINGS

• Fall 2012, Bioethics, (This is being offered right now)
• Spring 2013, Applied Ahimsa.
• Fall 2013, Women's perspectives in Dharma Traditions. (will be offered following the Women's conference)
• Graduate level course each semester

TRAINING STUDENTS & FACULTY

• 13 Grad students are alumni of ISJS India; seven went this year.
• Planning on 6-10 Grad students to ISSJS 2013 in India
• Selection via Essay competition.
• A few of them are working on their PhDs.
• Every one writes and submits research paper.
• We pay airfare, board, lodging, tuition and cash stipends.
• 15 High School Teachers to India for Ahimsa Studies.
• Aim is to develop core competency

JAIN STUDIES PROGRAMS AT CLU

• AHIMSA DAY CELEBRATIONS ON OCTOBER 2nd. This will be an annual event.
• "Ahimsa in the face of disaster: Jain responses to the Partition of India in 1947" research project; $25 K funding secured & project director appointed.
• SUMMER CAMP FOR JAIN YOUTHS in 2013 Sponsored by Jain Center of Southern California.
• ON LINE LEARNING & COURSE MATERIAL RECORDINGS. Started last year and continuing.
• MAINTENANCE OF CLU JAIN STUDIES WEB SITE. This is done regularly and is current
• SCHOLARS SEMINAR AT 2013 JAINA CONVENTION in DETROIT, JULY 2013; Dr. Philip Clayton (Provost CLU) and several CLU /ISJS scholars will be invited.
• CREATION OF JAIN SACRED SPACE AT CLU CAMPUS; A small Jain Derasar /temple in marble from India or in Styrofoam. Goal to complete this prior to 2nd October 2013.
• SPECIAL LECTURES AT CLU BY VISITING JAIN SCHOLARS; Prof Kusum Jain (Dean Philosophy Dept. at Rajasthan U) last month.
• JAIN SCHOLAR /ACADEMICS DATA BASE; We need to populate this data with about 50-75 academics.
• APPOINTMENT OF PROGRAM COORDINATOR AT CLU; Lidiya Potapenko is hired.
• ANNUAL MEET & GREET OF JAIN ACADEMICS in Chicago on November 18, 2012. Chicago Jain society host.
• GUIDEBOOK FOR STUDENTS GOING TO INDIA TO ISSJS; developing a comprehensive guideline book (manual) about preparations for going to India. To be completed next month.
• BUILDING LIBRARY HOLDINGS; Donated nearly 500 books, JAINA E-Library Data and Paintings
  
  

JAIN STUDIES AT CLU, Misc. it

• CLU Provost visited ISJS in India in January 2012.
• Participated in a 2 day Parliament of World Religions conference on Educating Religious Leaders.
• Screening of Hindi movie " Do Aankhen aur Bara Haath" in near future.
• Frequent visits to JCSC temple by CLU staff and Students and Jains to CLU.
• CLU & Jains have developed strong relationship, bond and trust

A BIG THANK YOU TO UBEROI

• Uberoi and ISJS have developed a good working relationship.
• Always thinking of new projects.
• This can serve as a role model to work with other universities.
• Hindu community signed MOU with CLU on August 24, 2012.
• Sikh Community is working to do the same soon.
• With CLU+ LMU+USC + UC Irvine + Cal Poly Pomona (Ahimsa Center), a nucleus/hub of Indic studies is developing.