The iconic Summer School by ISJS concluded on July 21, 2024, and
the participants left for their respective homes with insightful
knowledge and beautiful memories.
The group of 14 participants spent five weeks with ISJS from June 17,
2024, where they learned various Jain topics, interacted with various
Jain ascetics and householders, and visited pilgrim places to have a
holistic understanding of Jainism as a living religion.
The valedictory session on July 20, 2024, was graced by Prof. Pramod
Pandey, Vice Chancellor, Deccan College Post-Graduate and
Research Institute (Deemed to be University). He addressed the
gathering and presented the certificates on behalf of his university and
ISJS, and the ISJS Director (acting) Dr. Shrinetra Pandey presented
the transcripts to everyone.
Dr. Hassan Omari, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies,
University of Kenya, Nairobi has written a letter on the completion of
the program where he mentions ~
“I never imagined that I could live a day without eating meat. I must
admit that I nearly canceled this trip, just thinking how I would live
without meat. But I hereby state that this is the best way to go. I plan to
continue being a vegetarian after seeing the benefits…”
Dr. Kamal Naulakha, a Chartered Accountant from Mumbai, says
about the program ~ “I hope by now all of us are back to our destinations with fond
memories of a great experience at the 5W-ISSJS…the excellent part
was bonding strong relationships and getting acquainted with different
cultures and traditions – Christian, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism &
Jainism among the 14 participants.”
Ms. Hansi Surana, a student at Mohanlal Sukhadia University,
Udaipur, conveys her ideas ~ “The lectures and intellectual discussions with the teachers not only
deepened my understanding of Jainism but also taught me how to
effectively present and introduce its concepts to newcomers. We
visited significant places like Kumbhoj Bahubali, the Abhay
Prabhavana Museum, BORI, and Shrut Bhawan. These visits and
interactions were not only exciting and informative but also provided
me with direction for further research in Jainism. My heartfelt thanks
go to the entire ISJS team for their support, always-helpful attitude,
and immense dedication.”
Mr. Yash Dhamija, a social worker at UNICEF, expresses his views~ “ISSJS exemplified a perfect blend of theory and practice! Every
session, whether it focused on technical topics like Jain philosophy,
ethics, and literature, or interactive aspects like the social dimensions,
festivals, and rituals, was delivered excellently by distinguished
speakers. Equally commendable were the field visits to various
temples, museums, and practitioners' homes. As a social worker, I
have gained in-depth knowledge of the tools and concepts guiding the
Jain lives, which will help me develop innovative peacebuilding
projects with children and youth.”