The second anniversary of “Dharma for Life” (DFL), an organisation working to disseminate ancient Indian and Jain knowledge traditions in a modern context, was celebrated with great pomp at The Tulip Clubhouse in Gurugram. Scholars, teachers, researchers, industrialists, corporate leaders, and students from India and abroad participated in the event.
Opening and Keynote Intellectual Session
The program began with the lighting of the lamp and a prayer by Beina A. Jain. In the keynote intellectual session, Dr. Natalia Zheleznova, a scholar from the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow, Russia, delivered a detailed lecture on “The Doctrine of the Soul in Jain Mysticism.” She presented an academic interpretation of the external, internal, and supreme souls. It is worth noting that Natalia has translated Acharya Kundakunda’s Pancha Paramagama into Russian and follows a strict vegetarian diet and abstinence. Following the lecture, the audience expressed curiosity about the profound aspects of Jain philosophy during a question-and-answer session.
. 
Lifetime Achievement Award and Felicitation Ceremony
In the afternoon session, Dr. Shugan Chand Jain (Founder, International School for Jain Studies) was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Medhavi Jain and her mother also honoured scholars who have contributed articles to the organisation’s research journal.
Honoured scholars: Dr. Parasmal Agarwal, Prof. Anekant Kumar Jain, Amit Jain, Payal Seth, Kiran Yadav, Chehak Jain, Mannat Malik, Aastha Jain, Dr. Umesh Chandra Tripathi, Suresh Jain (IAS), and Anupreksha Jain.
Medhavi Jain, the organisation’s founder, provided a detailed account of its social and academic contributions to date.
Launch of Various Projects and Books
The event saw the launch of several educational and literary projects. These were released by Praveen Jain (Chairman and Managing Director, Tulip Group and Founder, Tulip Foundation), Dr. Shugan Jain, Prof. Anekant Kumar Jain, and other dignitaries on the stage.
. 
.
Works Launched: Medhavi Jain’s works include ‘Swadheen’ (a Class 4 textbook), ‘Padma Purana’ (stories inspired by the Jain Ramayana), ‘Soul Science for the Millennials’, ‘नई पीढ़ी के लिए आत्म-विज्ञान’, ‘Navigating Through the Twenties with Philosophical Wisdom’, and ‘Dharma For Life Echoes’ (e-magazine).
Book Reviews: Kiran Yadav shared her thoughts on the ‘Padma Purana.’ Vipul Jain reviewed ‘Soul Science for the Millennials,’ calling it useful for anyone seeking peace. Umesh Chandra Tripathi (Motihari, Bihar) praised the author for explaining complex topics in simple language. Ravin Jain (Architect and Founder, Bahubaleshwar Dham) described ‘Navigating Through the Twenties’ as a book that provides answers to today’s mental challenges.
. 
.
Special Release: Mr Praveen Jain also released the second edition of Prof. Anekant Kumar Jain’s booklet, “Prakrit Bhasha: A Glimpse.”
Presidential Address and Closing
Presiding over the function, Prof. Anekant Kumar Jain (Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University, Delhi) said that not knowing oneself is the greatest crime. One who knows the soul is the inner soul, and one who has attained it is the Supreme Soul. He stated that Jainism can spread worldwide through its tradition of self-knowledge. The program was beautifully conducted by Ms Mannat Malik. At the conclusion, certificates were presented to the students, and a pure, sattvic Jain feast was arranged for all the guests.
All images can be seen here.
Report: Dr. Ruchi Jain, Director, Jin Foundation, New Delhi.
