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American Jain leaders meet in Chicago; discuss future of Jainism in US
The participating Jain leaders heard from educators, business executives, medical professionals, academics, students, and community leaders, both volunteer and elected.
Long Range Planning Committee: (Upper Row) - Praful Giriya, Sonia Ghelani, Chintan Shah, Soha Shah, Bindesh Shah, Jayesh Shah, Manish Mehta - (Lower Row) - Mayur Shah, Vipul Shah, Yogendra Jain, Prem Jain, Dipak Jain, Sushil Jain, Manoj Jain, Yogesh Bapna, Bipin Shah / JAINA
Facing organizational, generational, leadership, religious, and community challenges, Jain leaders from across the country met in Chicago this month to discuss the future of this minority community in the US, organizers said Apr.17.
Led by Dipak Jain, the former Dean of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, the three day meeting in Chicago, from Apr.5-7, was attended by over 125 Jain leaders. Attendees included presidents and co-chairs from Jain Association of North America (JAINA) , Young Jains of America (YJA), Young Jain Professionals (YJP), Jain International Trade Organization (JITO), and other Jain centers across North America.
The objective of the event organized by JAINA’s Long Range Planning Committee was to craft the future of Jainism. In his keynote address, Dipak Jain, the first Jain dean at a North American academic institution of higher learning, shared how the core Jain principles of ahimsa (non-violence), anekantvad (multiplicity of viewpoints), and aparigraha (simplicity/non-possessiveness) enabled him to have a successful career and overcome numerous life challenges.
“Excellence has no bounds, you can reach any height but there is always more to do. No challenge ahead of you is greater than the force behind you,” he said.
“It was an amazing gathering to get leaders, young as well as seasoned, to gather and share as well as debate how to move forward in developing a vision, mission, and strategy for a community of 200,000 Jains in North America,” said Dr. Manoj Jain, chair of JAINA’s Long Range Planning Committee.
During the eight round tables, the participants shared best practices and actively learned from one another on topics such as increasing Jain Center engagement and increasing awareness of Jainism in the broader North American population.
Attendees at the Chicago event / JAINA“However, having a vision, mission, and strategy is insufficient for a meaningful change. Hence we need projects on the ground,” said Prem Jain, from California and former president of JAINA and LRP member.
“There was tremendous energy and excitement around the question of ‘when can I start implementing what I have learned?’ At JLF 2024, participants enjoyed fully vegan meals throughout the weekend and heard from over 25 Jain Project Champions.
“For the attendees, Jain Leadership Forum 2024 provided a solid foundation from which to build new initiatives, create synergies, expand on networking opportunities, and define a clear picture of how to shape Jainism’s future in North America” shared Yogendra Jain, LRP/JLF team lead from Boston.
“Each 2024 Jain Leadership Forum attendee traveled home with an expanded toolkit of how to inspire their local Jain communities to plan for the future and a broader network of Jain leaders to help strengthen the foundation of the large North American Jain community for future generations.” said Mayur Shah, LRP/JLF team lead from Philadelphia.
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