 | JAINA: Federation Of Jain Associations in North America |
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Monica Kothari |
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Ambika Pandya |
The Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA) is pleased to announce the selection of Ambika Pandya and Monika Kothari as members of its inaugural class of summer interns - one intern will undergo training on important legislative functions on Capitol Hill, and the other will lead a special project to study and document the dharmic seva (i.e., compassionate service) contributions of North American Jains to their respective local and global communities. The internships provide a competitive cash stipend, and JAINA’s Executive Committee will closely monitor the outcomes. JAINA hereby appeals to the leadership of each Center to cooperate and support this important study with their timely and detailed responses when they are contacted.
In announcing this milestone, Dr. Sushil Jain, President of JAINA stated, "The first wave of Jain professionals emigrated from India in the 1960s and 1970s, and our fledgling community has grown, prospered and matured into its third generation. Thus, it is important that to assure the sustainability of Jain Way of Life in North America, we must nurture our youth to become more involved and engaged in the community and legislative landscapes, and promote awareness of our core values such as non-violence, compassion, tolerance for multiple viewpoints, vegetarianism and ecological balance. These impressive young adults were selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants, based on their strong credentials and aspirations to make a difference.”
Ambika Pandya, 20, of Staten Island, New York is a rising junior at New York University, studying Economics with a minor in Business and an interest in business law. She has been active at the Jain Center of America in New York for several years, as a volunteer, translator, and participant in religious classes and cultural programs.
This summer, Ambika will spend six weeks in Washington D.C., rotating under the mentorship of experienced officials at the American Jewish Committee (AJC), which has entered into a unique partnership with JAINA to offer this specialized training. The AJC is the Jewish community’s global advocacy organization, and has previously co-organized two Legislative Conferences with JAINA on Peace, Harmony and Non-Violence (October 22009 and March 2012) which attracted many leading legislators and federal agency officials who are now more aware of Jain beliefs and Jain Way of Life.
Ambika states she applied for and accepted the JAINA internship offer because, "This internship will allow me to combine my education and my Jain ideals and principles with my interest in international relations and public outreach. I hope to gain experience in these fields through managing, assisting, and coordinating events and programs with my supervisors. I would like to thank JAINA and AJC, who have given me this unique opportunity to work in our nation’s capital.”
Monika Kothari, 21, of Canton, Michigan began at age 8 years with the Jain Society of Greater Detroit’s Sunday Pathshala, and is a rising senior at Michigan State University (awarded the university’s Alumni Distinguished Scholarship), pursuing a dual major in Anthropology and Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy. Last summer, she interned with State Voices, a national organization that promotes civic engagement and policy research. This summer, she is interning with APIAVote-Michigan, a nonpartisan nonprofit that advocates for the rights and interests of Asian Americans. She plans to apply to law school in the fall.
Monika will serve as a part-time Special Projects Intern under the mentorship of Dr. Manish Mehta (JAINA Midwest Regional Vice-President) to help document the community involvement and dharmic seva-based service, charitable and outreach activities of Jain societies and youth groups across the United States and Canada. Specifically, she will conduct a written and telephonic survey by contacting all local Jain center leaders and JAINA Directors, so as to develop information about their local Jain centers’ service projects to benefit mainstream populations in North America and perhaps, internationally (e.g., jivdaya, disaster relief, volunteering at shelters and nursing homes, etc). The results of the survey will be compiled and published this fall in a compendium that will be shared with all Jain centers, and disseminated to senior federal officials, elected representatives, the White House and United Nations. Jain centers are encouraged to prepare posters and presentations at the next JAINA Convention to be held in Detroit, July 4-7, 2013. Monika hopes that her contribution to this publication will not only give her greater appreciation for Jain involvement in public life, but also introduce non-Jains to Jain values and activism.
JAINA expects to continue this program and collaboration annually with the AJC, and encourages interested college students and recent graduates to apply next year.