Joyous Celebration of the S & R Palvia Veetraag Vigyan Professorship in Jain Studies at GCSU
By Mahadev Desai

The Jain Society of Greater Atlanta hosted a high-spirited celebration of the generous gift by Dr. Shailendra and Mrs. Rajkumari Palvia to Georgia College and State University. The donation is to create a newly created endowed professorship in Jain Studies at the GCSU. This celebration was to mark the historical event of GCSU becoming the first university in Georgia to establish endowed professorship in Jain studies, the religion of ahimsa (non-violence), anekantwad (respect for multiple viewpoints on an issue), and aparigraha (limiting possessions and promoting share and care).
Before the start of the formal celebration in the main floor auditorium, all GCSU visitors joined the ongoing Pooja (prayers) in the Mahavir Swami Temple.
 

The well attended ‘S& R Palvia Veetraag Vigyan Endowed Professorship in Jain Studies” event at the Jain Temple in Atlanta, was graced by the presence of the GCSU delegation comprising of Dr.Eric Tenbus, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Sunita Manian, Chair Philosophy and Liberal Studies (PALS); Dr. Justin Henry, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies; Dr. James Winchester, Professor of Philosophy; and Bob Preston, Senior Development Officer at GCSU. To top it off, two students from GCSU -- Basil Cooper, undergraduate majoring in English and Art History; and Liam Landry, undergraduate majoring in Math and minoring in Philosophy were also present. Dr. Nuru Akinyemi, Director, Center for African Studies, Kennesaw State University. Other dignitaries present included Professor Dr. Jagdish Sheth, Charles H. Kellstadt Professor of Business, Goizueta Business School, Emory University and his wife Madhu Sheth; Dr.Sulekh Jain, crusader for spreading the message of Mahavir in US universities; Dr. Manoj Jain, reputed physician from Memphis, TN. Of course family members of Dr. Shailenra Palvia and Mrs. Rajkumari Palvia, namely, brothers Prashant and Pankaj and their wives Madhu and Smita.

Gift of Namokar Mantra to GCSU at the Dr.Palvia Celebration Event

JSGA’s President, Viral Shah welcomed all. Adhya Ostwal and Ritin Shah beautifully recited the Namokar Mantra. Dr. Palvia briefly explained how the ‘S& R Palvia Veetraag Vigyan Endowed Professorship in Jain Studies at GCSU’came about. The discussions between Dr. Sulekh Jain and Dr. Justin Henry of GCSU began in April 2022, followed by a detailed MOU from Dean Tenbus on September 20, 2022. Thanks to Dr. Tenbus and Dr. Sunita things moved expeditously. A zoom meeting with PPT presentation was held on October 17. Prior to the Zoom meeting, Dr. Palvia narrated how Dr. Sulekh ji told him to raise $250,000 by calling scores of potential donors. Remembering his frustrating experience during Endowed Bhagwan Neminath Jain Studies Program at University of Connecticut, he decided without telling Sulekhji to gift the whole amount! Of course, he had to get the clearance from his wife Rajkumari. To his utter surprise she agreed immediately! (Laughter). He said that Oct.17 zoom meeting with the GCSU was one of the best ever. Dr. Palvia went on to explain the meaning of ‘Veetraag Vigyan’ used in the name of the Professorship.’Veetraag means ‘One without attachments ‘and aversions. ‘Vigyaan’ means Science. He mentioned that on November 6, the GSCU Professors and Bob Preston came to visit the Temple and in January, 2023, the dreamed initiative of ‘the ‘S& R Palvia Veetraag Vigyan Endowed Professorship in Jain Studies” at GCSU was implemented in exactly nine months!

Dr. Palvia and Brothers at the Dr.Palvia Gift to GCSU Celebration

Dr. Shailendra invited Dr. Sulekh Jain, a retired Mechanical engineer, a scholar, the past Secretary and President of the Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA), a sought-out speaker, many awards recipient including the JAINA Ratna Award, and a reputed author of ‘An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide!’ and the recent ‘Potpourri of Jainism’ a crusader for spreading the message of Mahavir in institutions of higher learning in USA, to address the gathering. Dr. Jain profusely thanked Dr. Eric Tenbus and Dr. Sunita Mainan for their sincerity, commitment and cooperation in successful implementation of the Professorship in Jain Studies at the GCSU. He then recounted the initial struggles in increasing the awareness of Jainism in the mainstream U.S. Jainism was treated just as a ‘footnote tradition’ he said. Many were unaware that Jainism is a vibrant, 2500+ years old religion. He recalled what the late GA Congressman and iconic Civil Rights Leader John Lewis said at the JAINA Convention in Atlanta in July 2015, “Had it not been for Gandhi, his teachings, his philosophy, I would not be standing here today. (Applause) Thank you for preaching and teaching and living the way of peace, the way of love, and the way of non-violence. If 2,500 years ago, there was no Bhagwan Mahavir, there would have been no Mahatma Gandhi, if there were no Mahatma Gandhi, there would have been no Dr, Martin Luther King, and if Dr. Martin Luther King were not here, there would have been no Barack Obama as President of the United States of America.” Dr. Jain went on to proudly state that Jain religion studies have now been established in 50+ universities in USA and more beyond in Canada, Israel, England, Brazil, and Philippines (applause).

Jai Jinendra Tapestry Gift to GCSU at the Dr.Palvia Celebration of the Jain Professorship

With the help of slides, Dr. Sunita Mainan explained how the newly gifted professorship in Jain Studies at GCSU will complement other courses and promote Jain philosophy and religion and take it further. She also informed the attendees about the upcoming GCSU Public Lecture (virtual) on March 22, 2023 at 5 p.m., “Mahavir, Mahatma and M L K’s Message of Ahimsa: How to Curb the Epidemic of Gun Violence in America” by Dr. Shailendra Palvia and Dr. Justin Henry. She further informed about the Study of the Jain Diaspora in Africa (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania) by Dr. Brooke Rudow, Coordinator Africana Studies, GCSU and Dr. Nuku Akinyemi, Director Africana Studies, Kennesaw State University.
After the beautiful rendition of devotional song “Maitri Bhavnu Pavitra Jharnu penned by Gurudev Chitrabhanu” by Ritin Shah and Adhya Ostwal, Dr. Tenbus spoke about the relevance of Jain studies in GCSU, because it strives through its core curriculum to expose students to the multiplicity of perspectives on issues of global concern—spirit of intellectual inquiry articulated by the Jain philosophy of anekantwad (“seeing multiple viewpoints”).
During a short break, Dr. Eric Tenbus, Dr. Sunita Mainan and Dr. Justin Henry were felicitated with scarfs. In a thoughtful and engaging address, Dr. Justin Henry said, “There is much we have to learn from Jainism. In the realm of the personal and the psychological, the Jain lifestyle—particularly the ideal of “equanimity” (mādhyastha)—offers the possibility of repose and mental quietude in an age of perpetual hyper-stimulus. We live in a world in which “grasping” (parigraha, in the most plenary sense of the term) has become not just a norm but almost a religion in and of itself. The Jain worldview then offers a counterbalance to this spiritual malaise by opening the door to a radically different way of being—one which promises contentedness through abstinence, self-reflection, and mindful awareness of the present. Jain appreciation for the interconnectedness of all living beings as well as the Jain insistence on care for the natural world and respect for all life is an outlook with urgent relevance for us all in the 21st century.” He then expressed sincere gratitude for this gift from Mr. and Mrs. Palvia.

Dr. Jagdish Sheth and Mrs. Madhu Sheth at the Dr.Palvia Gift to GCSU Celebration

Dr. Jagdish Sheth reconfirmed the historic nature of this professorship.  He also mentioned about a $1 million gift to the Emory University in Atlanta, to establish an endowment supporting a permanently funded postdoctoral fellowship in Jain studies.  The small group of donors who came together to create this endowment at Emory including  Dr. Jagdish and Madhu Sheth, believe that Jainism has much to contribute to the welfare of humanity by promoting nonviolence in today’s workplace, countering climate change by adopting a simple, ascetic lifestyle and cultivating more peaceful communities by encouraging the consideration of multiple viewpoints and tolerance of others. Mrs. MADHU Sheth spoke briefly about the great job being done by volunteers at the JSGA temple in teaching about Jainism at the Temple’s Pathshala.
Dr. Palvia, Dr. Jagdish Sheth and Mrs. Madhu Sheth released the latest book “Potpourri of Jainism’, authored by Dr. Sulekh Jain. It was Dr. Sulekh Jain’s 87th Birthday! The hall cheerfully reverberated with “Happy Birthday “song. Dr. Sulekh Jain and Dr. Palvia gifted embroidered two tapestries with Jai Jinendra greeting and ‘Namokar Mantra’ respectively; and books on Jainism to GCSU.


Shri Bindesh Shah from Florida and Shri Anil Shah from JSGA informed the audience about the upcoming JAINA Convention during the 4th July weekend, in Florida and urged all to attend and lend their support.
Dr. Manoj Jain from Memphis, TN who has known Shailendra and Rajkumari family since 1985 spoke fondly about the long family friendship and mentioned several accolades to the Palvia family. Shailendra’s brothers Prashant (a Professor of MIS at UNCG, Greensboro) and Pankaj (Owner of a CPA firm in Marietta) would not be outdone. They added their appreciation for the historic endowment and remembered their parents Dr. Chandmal and Mrs. Lalita Palvia who were blessing us from the heavens. Prashant also created an acronym for PALVIA meaning  Passionate, Aspirational, Loving, Vibrant, Intelligent, Adorable.

Watching over the zoom were sister Kapila & family from Minnesota, son Ajay & family from Virginia, son Anupam & family from New Jersey, and daughter Anjali & family from Indiana.
The joyous event concluded with participation in the aarti followed by delicious Vegan Lunch for about 200 people.