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Arihanta Institute receives $1 M gift to establish endowed professorship
The donation marks a significant milestone in advancing education rooted in compassion, non-violence, and spiritual depth.
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Malvika Choudhary - Sat, 19, Apr 2025
- 15:01 EDT
- 85
(Left to Right) Jasvant Modi, Parveen Jain, Namrata Patel and Nagib Tharani / Arihanta Institute
California-based Arihanta Institute has received a $1 million donation to establish its first-ever endowed professorship to support the Institute’s Vegan Studies Initiative (VSI).
The Tīrthaṅkara Śreyāṃśanātha Endowment for Professorship in Vegan and Animal Advocacy Studies will promote ethical living and animal advocacy through the lens of Jain principles.
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The donation marks a significant milestone in advancing education rooted in compassion, non-violence, and spiritual depth. Jasvant and Meera Modi, known for their longstanding commitment to global Jain education, joined with Namrata Patel, an advocate for non-violence studies, to fund the initiative.
“The VSI empowers individuals with the wisdom to embody empathy in everyday life for all living beings who share our planet,” said Jasvant Modi. “We are honored to support this visionary initiative that uplifts two causes very close to our hearts: the promotion of a vegan lifestyle and the advancement of Jain education.”
As a cornerstone of Arihanta Institute’s mission, the VSI bridges ancient Jain principles with contemporary challenges. Prem Jain, chair of the Fundraising Committee, noted, “Kindness toward animals is a fundamental human value. This endowment leapfrogs our multi-dimensional teaching efforts—empowering individuals to adopt a lifestyle rooted in non-violence and compassion toward others, the environment, and oneself.”
Founder and CEO Parveen Jain emphasized the broader impact of the initiative. “Our mission is to democratize Engaged Jain Studies through transformative education, critical research and scholarship in compassion, non-violence, and spiritual depth accessible to all, no matter where they are,” he said.
“Through initiatives like the VSI, we seek to inspire conscious living that honors all life, bridges ancient insight with modern challenges, and empowers individuals to walk the path of ahimsā every day,” he added.
Founded in 2022, Arihanta Institute is a nonprofit educational institution based in California dedicated to advancing the Jain principles of ahiṃsā (non-violence) and karuṇā (compassion) through accessible, inclusive online education.
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