PM Modi conferred with title of 'Dharma Chakravarti' at centenary celebrations of Acharya Shri 108 Vidyanand Ji Maharaj
New Delhi [India], June 28 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday was conferred with the title of 'Dharma Chakravarti' at the centenary celebrations of Jain saint Acharya Shri 108 Vidyanand Ji Maharaj.
'On this occasion, you honoured me with the title of 'Dharma Chakravarti'. I do not consider myself suitable for this. But it is our culture that whatever we receive from saints, we accept it as 'prasad'. So, I humbly accept this 'prasad' and dedicate it to Maa Bharati,' PM Modi said during his speech.
The centenary celebrations mark the formal commencement of a year-long national tribute to the spiritual leader, being organised by the Union Culture Ministry in collaboration with the Bhagwan Mahaveer Ahimsa Bharti Trust, Delhi.
Talking about how today's date is special as Acharya Vidyanand Muniraj received his title on this very day in 1987, which represented a 'pavitra dhaara' connecting Jain culture to ideas of restraint and compassion.
'This day is also special because on 28th June 1987, Acharya Vidyanand Muniraj received the title of 'Acharya'. It wasn't just an honour but it was also a 'pavitra dhaara' connecting the Jain culture to ideas, restraint and compassion,' PM Modi said.
'When we are celebrating his 100th birth anniversary today, it reminds us of that historic moment. On this occasion, I bow to the feet of Acharya Shri Munirajji. I pray that his blessings are with us always. People, these centenary celebrations are not just any normal event. It has the memory of a time period and the remembrance of an ascetic life. Today, to make this moment memorable, postal stamps have been made, for this too, I greet the people,' the Prime Minister added.
During the celebrations, PM Modi, along with Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, unveiled the commemorative postage stamps in memory of the Acharya.
Talking about the history of India, the PM Modi added, 'India is the oldest living culture of the world. We have been immortal for thousands of years because our ideas are immortal, our thoughts are immortal, and our philosophy is immortal. The source of this philosophy is our sages, saints and acharyas'
Earlier today, PM Modi, along with the Union Minister Shekhawat, attended an exhibition titled 'Life and Legacy of Acharya Shri 108 Vidyanand Ji Maharaj,' which featured paintings and murals depicting the leader's life.
The centenary year will be observed from June 28, 2025 to April 22, 2026, with a range of cultural, literary, educational, and spiritual initiatives across the country, aimed at celebrating the life and legacy of Acharya Shri 108 Vidyanand Ji Maharaj, according to an official statement from the ministry of culture.
The Acharya was born on April 22, 1925, in Shedbal, Belagavi (Karnataka). He received his initiation at a young age and went on to become one of the most prolific Jain scholars of modern times, having memorised over 8,000 Jain Agamic verses. He has authored over 50 works on Jain philosophy and ethics, including Jain Darshan, Anekantavada, and Mokshamarg Darshan. He travelled barefoot across Indian states for several decades, strictly adhering to Kayotsarga meditation, brahmacharya, and extreme austerity.
He was instrumental in the restoration and revival of ancient Jain temples across India, including those in Delhi, Vaishali, Indore, and Shravanabelagola, and was closely associated with the Shravanabelagola Mahamastakabhishek and the 2600th Janm Kalyanak Mahotsav of Lord Mahavira. He identified the site of Kundgram (now Basokund) in Bihar as the birthplace of Bhagwan Mahavir, a finding later recognised by the Government of India in 1956.
The centenary year will feature programs across India, focusing on community engagement, youth participation, interfaith dialogue, temple outreach, and Jain heritage awareness, ensuring that the timeless message of Acharya Vidyanand Ji reaches future generations. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
24 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Clearing the fog on the state of India-US relations
'The administration is bullish on India' is how a senior US official put it to me last week in Washington D.C. This sentiment would seem at odds with the broader reporting on the US-India relationship. In a Financial Times newsletter on India, one writer argued that the Indian Prime Minister (PM) 'made the mistake of counting on his warm personal connection with Trump'. The general assertion being that the Indian government has mortgaged this crucial relationship to 'personal friendships' alone. Others suggest that the US President's recent luncheon with Asim Munir, the recently decorated Pakistani Field Marshal, and his 'sneaky attempt' to bring PM Narendra Modi and Munir into the same room in the White House is 'threatening the future of US-India partnership'. Structures like TRUST were created for top political leaders to monitor progress on crucial initiatives. (REUTERS) Between social media and popular reporting, it would seem as though this relationship has been iced. Yet, in meetings with over 30 officials, experts, think tankers, and industry representatives last week, the story that emerged was diametrically opposed to the one that has been paraphrased above. Modi's engagements with Trump matter more than it is perhaps realised. It clearly provides a political basis of what can be achieved between the two countries, even at this time of shrinking administrative capacities in the US, and the many unplanned shifts in the bureaucratic body politic. To be sure, you could start the week with a meeting with official X and end up receiving a phone call from his/her successor the next day. Yet, what was clear to me was that the vision laid out by the two leaders in a lengthy joint statement following PM Modi's meeting with President Trump in February, guides the different contours of the relationship at the functional level. Notwithstanding the game of political catch between outlandish tweets and measured official responses, the guidelines for those moving the relationship across government and the private sector are more or less clear. First, there is a concerted effort to realise outcomes in the strategic technology partnership between the two sides. Under the banner of TRUST (Transforming the Relationship Utilising Strategic Technology), the administrative State and technology companies between the two countries are working towards outcomes to do more on pharmaceuticals with the view to de-risk the production of key ingredients from China; fuse infrastructure partnerships between firms invested in the present and the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI); and actively looking for ways to cooperate on extracting and processing critical minerals. The latter needs work, but the zest to find the right compact is real. Second, American private sector actors are preparing the ground to sell different kinds of reactors to meet India's nuclear energy needs. They are, at this time, hoping that the proposed legislative changes to the Indian Civil Nuclear Liability Act 2010 streamline liability clauses in consonance with global standards — delinking liabilities on suppliers and operators. Further, they remain hopeful that changes to India's Atomic Energy Act would allow private sector participation to meet India's nuclear energy needs. This is a top priority for the White House and the US President. This was made clear in several exchanges. This is 'unfinished business' following the conclusion of the 2008 US-India Civil Nuclear Agreement, as one Washington insider put it. My own sense is that progress on this front is almost as important as the conclusion of the first tranche of the trade deal between the two countries. The first tranche of this deal needs to be completed by July 9, when the US President's 90-day pause on 'reciprocal tariffs' ends. Officials suggested that there is a fair chance that the first tranche of the deal with India will be completed by this deadline. 'The trickier parts will come later,' they made plain. Third, efforts across bureaucracies in Washington D.C. that deal with India are almost uniformly focussed on the Quad Leader's Summit in October or November, which provides an opportunity for another bilateral between the two leaders. 'Deliverables' is the name of the game. Yet, at least some of the deliverables need to be real. The ongoing process is less about padding a joint statement and more about searching for right-sized deals. There is a fire in the system to make something happen by the time the leaders meet, including a considerable push to realise new AI infrastructure partnerships. 'India and Brazil are the two most important countries for the US when it comes to data centres,' as one technocrat stated. 'We need to get this right on both sides', the official made plain. In the US, this would mean producing revised rules for export controls that make it easier to access chips from the US into India. In turn, India will possibly need to negotiate certain guarantees to make sure that the chips are not off-shored. Moreover, there is a significant push to deregulate the data centre market in India, and streamline processes to encourage the expansion of AI infrastructure in India. None of this will be easy. Deregulation takes time. Negotiating guarantees can be cumbersome and is a process that cuts across several administrative buildings in and across New Delhi and other Indian states. If Indian officials conclude that data centre investments are an advantage for India, this is the bureaucratic work that will be required to realise this unique moment. It is exactly why structures like TRUST were created, for top political leaders to monitor progress on crucial initiatives. The enthusiasm for investments and partnerships will not last long. This also might be kept in mind. This is a zero-sum play. In sum, while there is little doubt that Munir, Pakistan, Twitter exchanges, and the politics that shape these expressions and incidents to an extent inform the current state of US-India ties, at times exercising officials on both sides, it is also plainly clear that the functional relationship — which produces material results — is one that is working to produce outcomes, and not without the direction of the political leadership. Rudra Chaudhuri is director, Carnegie India. The views expressed are personal.
United News of India
24 minutes ago
- United News of India
Kishan Reddy vows full central backing for sustainable mineral & coal growth in North‑East
Guwahati, June 28 (UNI) Union Minister for Coal and Mines, G Kishan Reddy, on Saturday reaffirmed the Centre's 'unwavering support' for accelerating mineral and coal development across India's eight North‑Eastern states. Speaking on the second day on the second North‑East Mining Ministers' Conclave here, Reddy said robust mining infrastructure, quicker project clearances and eco‑friendly practices are crucial to realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Viksit Bharat 2047' vision. 'Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim are our Ashta Lakshmi,' the minister told delegates, stressing that stronger Centre–state coordination would create jobs, draw investment and spur inclusive growth. Ministers and senior officials from all eight states presented detailed roadmaps covering block auctions, the hunt for critical minerals, efforts to revive coal mines, and moves to develop minor minerals with an eye on environmental safeguards. Several representatives pressed for greater financial and technical assistance from New Delhi to overcome logistical hurdles in the resource‑rich but infrastructure‑poor region. Additional Secretary (Mines) Sanjay Lohiya used the platform to urge the Geological Survey of India, Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited and state agencies to 'dramatically scale up' modern, time‑bound exploration—particularly for strategic minerals vital to energy security and high‑tech manufacturing. 'The policy and budgetary push is already in place; it must now translate into action on the ground,' he declared. On the conclave's sidelines, Reddy inaugurated a new Indian Bureau of Mines regional office in Guwahati alongside Assam Mines Minister Kaushik Rai and Mines Secretary V L Kantha Rao. The facility, officials said, will bolster regulatory oversight and provide technical support to budding mining projects across the North‑East. UNI XC SS
The Hindu
30 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Brain behind Operation Sindoor, IPS Parag Jain is new RAW Chief
The Union Government on Saturday (June 28, 2025) appointed senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Parag Jain as the new chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India's external intelligence agency. A 1989-batch IPS officer from the Punjab cadre, Mr. Jain, will succeed incumbent R&AW chief Ravi Sinha, who is due to retire on June 30. Mr. Jain will assume office on July 1 for a fixed two-year term. At present, Mr. Jain heads the Aviation Research Centre (ARC), a key wing of R&AW. He is said to have played a pivotal role in Operation Sindoor by providing intelligence inputs that enabled precision missile strikes on terrorist hideouts in Pakistan. Mr. Jain has previously served in various capacities in Punjab during its terrorism crisis, including as Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and Deputy Inspector General (DIG). His past assignments also include significant responsibilities on the Pakistan desk of R&AW, and he was posted in Jammu and Kashmir during the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Additionally, Mr. Jain has had diplomatic and intelligence stints in Sri Lanka and Canada, where he monitored Khalistani terror modules. Over the course of his career, he has held several sensitive posts relating to national security and foreign intelligence.
