Dear Reader,
Jai Jinendra!🙏
Paryushan and Daslakshan festivals/ Parvas give us a welcome pause from the everyday – to look at our habits, attachments, reactions, and the way we relate to one another. Perhaps what these festivals offer is a little more “pause-ity”: the ability to stop before we react, reflect before we judge, and recognise our own attachments, like the practice of forgiveness takes that reflection a step further. It asks us to acknowledge that we may have caused hurt, knowingly or unknowingly, and to have the humility to make amends. These are values worth carrying beyond the festival season, into our everyday interactions and relationships.
At the International School for Jain Studies (ISJS), we take this opportunity to say to our colleagues, friends and wider community: if we have caused hurt through our words or actions, knowingly or unknowingly, we sincerely seek your forgiveness. Micchami Dukkadam.
ISJS is hosting a three-day residential forum, “From Inner Development to Conscious Living: A Global Dialogue for Sustainable Collective Well-being,” from May 1 to 3, 2027, at Navalveerayatan, Pune. The forum will bring together participants from diverse backgrounds to explore inner development, consciouss living, ethical responsibility, and collective well-being. Through dialogue, reflection, and shared learning, participants will engage with the questions: “Who am I? Who are We? What is the World?” The initiative seeks to connect individual awareness with responsible action, encouraging a journey from “I to We to World.” We are looking for institutions of international repute to join as co-organisers and for scholars, researchers, and practitioners to contribute their scholarship and expertise to the dialogue.
Read More →
Those looking to explore Jain philosophy and its contemporary relevance can join the ISJS Online Winter Programme 2026-27, scheduled from December 28, 2026, to January 6, 2027. The 10-day programme will introduce participants to key aspects of Jain philosophy, ethics and ways of life, through interactive sessions led by scholars and experienced practitioners. Open to students, researchers, educators, professionals and anyone interested in Jainism, the programme will be conducted entirely online in English, enabling participation from learners across the world.
Application deadline: November 10, 2026
ISJS is offering a one-week online certificate course on Value Education, Peace and Harmony from November 21 to 27, 2026. Designed for teachers, educators, youth and social workers, the course will focus on self-awareness, emotional balance, empathy, responsible decision-making and constructive conflict management. Each one-hour session will combine lectures or case studies with discussions and practical activities, helping participants apply values to everyday life, relationships and social responsibility. As a pilot programme, the course is being offered free of charge.
Read More →
ISJS has introduced specialized in-person training programs for educators in Value Education, Peace and Harmony, designed to help teachers cultivate compassionate, inclusive, and peaceful learning environments grounded in the principles of ahimsa (non-violence) and universal human values. The programme, offered in flexible 3 to 7-day formats, includes interactive workshops, teacher training modules, seminars, and customized sessions tailored to the needs of schools, colleges, and other academic institutions. Through experiential learning and practical engagement, participants will gain tools and perspectives to foster ethical awareness, mutual respect, and harmony within educational settings. For details and applications, contact info@isjs.in
Read More →
ISJS organised an online lecture, Some Interesting Aspects of Jain Art and Architecture in Karnataka, delivered by Dr. Shrinivas V. Padigar and chaired by Dr. Shahida Ansari on September 27, 2026. Dr. Padigar explored Karnataka’s Jain heritage while highlighting the region’s distinctive temple and image traditions. The discussion also explored the lesser-known Jain temples of Karnataka. Responding to Dr. Ansari, Dr. Padigar highlighted the rich architectural treasure trove that remains to be explored and documented across the state.
ISJS is pleased to announce that Dr. Shrinetra Pandey, Director, ISJS, to act as co-supervisor for two PhD research projects at Ghent University, Belgium. The doctoral candidates, Harshit Mishra (ISJS, Pune) and Sanjay Jain (Delhi), have been admitted to the university's PhD program under the supervision of Prof. Eva De Clercq. Harshit Mishra's research focuses on the grammatical and linguistic tendencies in the Praśnavyākaraṇa Sūtra, while Sanjay Jain's study explores a comparative analysis of Jain epistemology and Einstein's philosophy of science.
ISJS congratulates both researchers on this significant academic achievement and wishes them every success in their doctoral journey.
The Speak Up section in this edition features an article titled “My Reflections on Observing Daslakshan Parva” by Dr. Shugan C. Jain, President, ISJS.
Read Full Article →
The Bhagwan Shitalnath Chair for Jain Archaeology, Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, Deccan College PGRI, Pune, organised the Prof. S. B. Deo Third Annual Memorial Lecture on Jain Studies on September 30, 2026. Archaeologist and traditional architect Prof. E. Sivanagi Reddy Sthapati delivered the lecture on The Jain Heritage of Telangana Through the Ages tracing the region’s Jain heritage across different periods. Dr. A. P. Jamkhedkar was the Chief Guest. The programme was open to all and witnessed an enthusiastic response from scholars and attendees.
The Department of Asian Studies at The University of Texas at Austin has announced a tenure-track Assistant Professor or tenured Associate Professor position in Jain Studies, beginning Fall 2027. The position is open to scholars from any discipline or time period within the humanities or social sciences, with a research and teaching focus on the academic study of Jainism and advanced competency in one or more relevant Indic languages.
Applications are invited until October 30, 2026.
We are excited to announce that ISJS has created a WhatsApp Group to keep our global members updated with the latest activities and initiatives.
Read More →
ISJS warmly invites its associates, alumni, and well-wishers to share regular feedback on our newsletters and activities. Your insights play a vital role in enhancing ISJS initiatives and expanding our outreach.
Read More →Email: info@isjs.in | Website: www.isjs.in
You are receiving this Newsletter because of your association with ISJS.
In case you want to unsubscribe Click Here