dilip_schools

Proposed Design

for Veerayatan Schools

2014 VEERAYATAN GLOBAL CONFERENCE The 200 Schools Project

Distinguished service award presented by Veerayatan to Dr. Kiran Patel, Mr. Amar Shah, Dr. Ketki Shah. and Dr. Vinod Shah Mr. Amar Shah (President), Dr. Kiran Patel (Chairman), Dr. Ketki Shah (Conference Program Chairman), Mr. Bharat Doshi (Kenya), Acharya Chandanaji, Dr. Vinod Shah (Co-Chairman), Mr. Sunderji Shah (India), Mr. Rohit Mehta (UK), Mr. T R Daga (India), Mr. Pravin Chheda (India), Mr. Bakul Mehta (Muscat) and Dr. Bipin Doshi (India)

Let’s create a better future for our world, by investing in its greatest resource - our children’s education.

Together, we can transform today’s plans, into tomorrow’s reality.

‘Knowledge illuminates all’ Tirthankar Mahavir

Adm. Office: 92 Lilac Lane, Paramus, NJ, 07652 •Tel: 201-845-0775 • WWW.Veerayatan-Intl.org

Learn more about our cause at www.veerayatan.org.

More than 300 international delegates from US, Canada, India, UK, Kenya, Dubai, Muscat and Australia gathered at Hilton Hotel, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ to attend a 3 day Veeraytan Global Conference. They had gathered to give concrete shape to Acharya Shri Chandanaji’s vision of transforming for the better, lives of thousands of rural poor children by providing value based education and in the process, improve rural health and environmental conditions that will also face of Jainism in India. The project Tirth Vikas or “The 200 Schools Project” is a major new initiative by Veerayatan – a humanitarian, non profit charitable organization based in Rajgir, Bihar whose motto is: Seva (service), Shiksha (Education) and Sadhna (Inner Development).

Veerayatan International based in NJ hosted the 2014 Global conference that was chaired by Dr. Kiran Patel of Tampa, FL. The conference was graced by presence of Acharya Shri Chandanaji, Sadhvi Shri ShilapiJi, Sadhvi Shri Chetanaji, Sadhvi Shri Vibhaji, and Sadhvi Shri Sanghmitraji. Office bearers, volunteers and friends of Veeraytan family were inspired by Acharya Shri Chandanaji’s call to “All those who believe in the Power of Education and in one’s responsibility to contribute to join hands in this worthwhile project and make the world a better place.”

The 200 School project initiated by Veerayatan is a magnanimous project, which will bring together and unite the entire Jain community internationally for one worthy cause – to enrich our Tirth Kshetras through Education. So many pilgrim places in India are towns without any major commercial, industrial or agricultural activities. There may be some government schools, if any, but quality education is not provided. The town’s people get by with handouts from good-hearted pilgrims who go there but are gone the next day. The children do not go to school but practice art of enriching themselves from comings and goings of the pilgrims. This culture of dependency is like a prison holding the town in a perpetual cycle of abject poverty. To break this cycle of poverty, Acharya Shri Chandanaji has proposed education based approach - Her vision is: “JAHAN JINALAYA VAHAN VIDYALAYA” - Make our pilgrimage places seat of quality education and a fountain of solid citizens for mother India. The plan of action is to transform our Tirth Kshetras, center of our faith and devotion in to “Ideal Villages” by providing value-based education to children with attention to health, environment and well being of the entire community. As a first step, Veerayatan has decided to build three teachers training colleges to ensure that trained teachers can provide value based education with health and vocational training to children.

Delegates to the three-day conference heard from educators, social workers, scholars and monks in a unified agreement that future of India depends on the developments of villages and creation of well-educated citizens. Veerayatan sees this as our duty to the towns that host our Teerthdhams providing an opportunity to practice Mahavir’s message of compassion and service to the needy. Gradual transformation of a town by establishment of an ideal school is not just a theory. Schools built by Veerayatan in Kutch and Bihar over the last 12 years is a testimony that schools are an instrument of change. Now is the time to expand our horizon and make every one of our Teerthdhams an ideal village. The enthusiasm of the delegates can be seen in the commitments already so far by 20 families each pledging $200,000 to sponsor a school and take the message of hope to their communities in all parts of the world. Various sessions were impaneled to brainstorm ideas on how to move forward, fund raising ideas and promotion of our cause. Most of the attendees filled out a form to volunteer for different tasks they would like to undertake in support of the 200 Schools project.

Based on these interest areas, soon core committees will be formed and areas of responsibilities will be determined.

The conference was like a family gathering beaming with expressions of joy, enthusiasm and sense of mission to get submerged in the pious mission to help the needy for brighter tomorrows. In his keynote speech, Mark Feinberg of KIPP Foundation that runs 160 + Charter schools in US, emphasized need for a robust commitment to professional development of teachers. In addition to the planning sessions, the three-day conference provided 300 delegates an opportunity to meet volunteers from different countries for the first time in person. Half of the delegates came from overseas and the other half were volunteers and well wishers from the U.S.A. The Indian delegation included Veerayatan officers like Sr. Vice President, Sunderji M. Shah; Vice President, Dr. Bipin Doshi; Secretary, T. R. Daga, Treasurer, Praveen Shah. U.S. and international delegates all were able to ask questions and discussed merits of the 200 Schools project with Veerayatan executives. They mingled and networked with each other in between sessions, at lunch and dinner breaks while enjoying freshly cooked Jain meals. There were musical programs at night and early mornings offered Bhakti Stavans, and Yoga/Meditation classes.

The United States Flag, which was flown over the capital, courtesy of Honorable Congressman Mr. Stany Hoyer, was presented to the host of next Veerayatan Global Conference - African Nations (Dubai, Kenya and Muscat) The United States Flag, which was flown over the capital, courtesy of Honorable Congressman Mr. Stany Hoyer, was presented to the next host,

Mr. Nilesh Doshi (Kenya), Mr. Bakul Mehta (Muscat) , Mr. Yogesh Doshi (Dubai), Mr. Bharat Doshi (Kenya), Acharya Chandanaji, African Nations (Dubai, Kenya and Muscat).

From Left to Right: Brahm Rishi Guruvanandswamiji, Dr. Kiran Patel (Chairman), Dr. Vinod Shah (Co-Chairman) and Mr. Amar Shah (President) Mr. Nilesh Doshi (Kenya), Mr. Bakul Mehta (Muscat) , Mr. Yogesh Doshi (Dubai), Mr. Bharat Doshi (Kenya), Acharya Chandanaji, Brahm Rishi Gurubanandswamiji, Dr. Kiran Patel (Chairman), Dr. Vinod Shah (Co Chairman) and Mr. Amar Shah (President)

Mr.Shri Jay Jain (Center) in meditation beforeShatavdhan; Satavdhan experiment; firstcombination time the combination of questions photographs and objects.

Jay Jain in meditation before first time the of questions photographs and objects.

From Left to right: Acharya Chandanaji, Shri Jay Jain and Sadhvi Sanghmitra.

From Left to right: Acharya Chandanaji, Mr. Jaywas Jain andeagerly Sadhvi Sanghmitra.

The item everyone waiting

for was “Shatavdhan” by Jay Jain - a 26 year old devotee of Acharya Shri Chandanaji. The hall was packed and in disciplined silence as Sadhvi Sanghmitraji began the evening program with a Manglacharan. Acharya Shri Chandanaji explained meaning and significance of Shatavdhan. Members of the audience had submitted questions on index cards and they were read one by one to Shri Jay Jain. After the questions were read, Jay Jain was shown 10 photographs of famous people and places and there after he was shown 20 objects presented by the members of the audience. There was a few minutes break provided to Jay Jain for meditation while Sadhvi Sanghmitraji sang some stavans. After the break, Jay Jain started answering the questions put to him in random orders and the audience was just amazed by his composure and his demonstration of memorizing all 100 questions. At the end, Jay Jain talked for a few minutes – how he was encouraged by Acharya Shri Chandanaji to sharpen his memory skills through meditation. The Shatavdhan presentation was something the delegates will never forget.

Bengaluru: To undertake 200 schools project, we will need skilled and trained teachers. Veerayatan has decided to establish Tirthankar Maahavir Vidya Mandir Training Institute that will be the center for advanced and specialist training of teachers. A prime piece of land has been donated to Veerayatan for this project.

Pune: The 200 School project plans to have vocational training centers in each of the schools. The Pune center will be the Vocational Technical Training Institute for skillbased training for the teachers.

Ahemednagar: The Veerayatan Ahemadnagar Center will also be a teachers training Center, where core, essential training for teachers will be provided. Teachers will also be trained in providing moral and spiritual education along with excellent academic education.

Solapur: The Veerayatan Solapur center will be a training institute for social workers. The 200 Schools project aims to develop villages in India through education, vocational training as well as moral and spiritual empowerment.

Veeraytan Solapur Center will be concentrating primarily In one of the planning sessions, Sadhvi Shri Shilapiji on holistic development of social workers. A private school identified various key Veerayatan centers and the tasks is already running there and Veeraytan is in the process of these centers will fulfill. taking over the entire campus to develop it as a state of the art Social Workers Training Institute.

Kandiwali, Mumbai: Veerayatan has purchased 1.25 acres of land in Kandiwali. This center will become the central office for the 200 School project. The center will monitor For more information visit www.veerayatan.org; or the entire network of 200 schools including administration, write to mamehta@veerayatan-intl.org. Receive fumanagement and finance. In addition, the Kandiwali center ture e-mail updates by adding your e-mail address to will become a unique center of learning by the name of Veerayatan International’s distribution list at http:// “Tirthankar Tower”. It will constitute facility to support www.veerayatan-intl.org/join-iv. higher education to those girls who want to pursue their future studies in Mumbai in a safe and spiritual environment.