Shri Raj Krishen Jain Memorial Lectures 1991
DEPARTMETN OF BUDDHIST STUDIES
University of Delhi,
Delhi
JAINA SOCIETY
THROUGH THE AGES
By
VILAS
A. SANGAVE
M.A., Ph.D.
Honorary Director, Shahu Research Institute,
Shivaji University, Kolhapur
Published by
Prem Chandra Jain
Shri. Raj Krishen Jain
Charitable Trust
Ahimsa Mandir, Daryaganj, New Delhi
LALA RAJ KRISHEN JAIN
(A brief note on the life and works of Shri Raj Krishen Jain in
whose memory the Lecture Series has been instituted in the University of
Delhi, Delhi with the fund endowed by Shri Raj Krishen Jain Charitable
Trust, Delhi)
Shri Raj Krishen Jain was born at Ambala Cantt. on 11th October,
1900 (Kartik, Krishna, IV), the day on which the Third Jaina Tirthankara
Sambhavanatha attained Kevalajnana and the day on which it is customary on
the part of Indian Hindu women to observe fast for the welfare of their
husband. He passed away on the 4th February, 1973 at Delhi. He started his
career as a clerk in Post & Telegraph Dept. and rose to the rank of
Superintendent, Army Head-quarters at Simla. In 1921, he resigned his post
at the call of Civil Disobedience Movement given by Mahatma Gandhi. His
father Shri Rangi Lal Jain and grand-father Shri Tulsi Ram were Government
Contractors who migrated from Sonepat, a District Headquarter now in
Haryana.
Lalaji was a well known generous social and religious worker,
great visionary, Karma Yogi and a philanthropist too. In 1940, he founded
Shri Raj Krishen Jain Charitable Trust under which he constructed the
Ahimsa Mandir at 1-Daryagant, New Delhi which presently houses the Jain
Temple, Library for Research Scholars, free Dispensary, Dharmashala (Guest
House), Temple Nursing Home, etc. The said Trust grants scholarships to
deserving students. ..In 1947 he donated a sum of Rs. 5,000/- to Anjuman
Taraqui-e-Urdu : for the development of Urdu Language. Another instance of
his broadmindedness lies in the fact that during the days of partition of.
India when brutal riots broke out, he braved himself in saving the
valuable library of Anjuman Taraqui-e-Urdu and the precious lives of many
Muslims and Hindus by offering them shelter, food, etc. He was not
sectarian in his approach as is illustrated by his help to Bhikkhu
Dhammavara of Cambodia when he migrated to Delhi from Pakoccupied Kashmir
and established a Buddihist Temple and Ashok Mission Vihar in Mehrauli
(near Delhi). In 1952 when Acharya Vinoba Bhave visited Delhi in
connection with his Bhoodan Movement, Lalaji donated his entire 150 Bighas
of Agricultural Land in village Arthala near Delhi. He was responsible for
the repair of the National Archives of India and the preservation of 1500
years old palm leaf manuscripts of the �Dhavala� and the �Jaya Dhavala�
which are enshrined in Moodbidri in South Karnataka. He was instrumental
in the publication of many books on social and religious themes. He
himself translated into English the Samayasara and the Niyamasara of
Acharya Kundakunda and wrote a book in Hindi entitled �Shravan-Belgola Aur
Dakshin ke Anya Jaina Tirtha�. He helped the Government in recovering as
many as 80 heads of antique images broken by the smugglers in 1959 in
Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, which led to their arrest and sentence.
He was associated with a number of social and religious institutions.,
viz. Delhi Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Animal Friends,
the All India Digambar Jain Orphanage Society as its Vice-president. The
All India Digambar Jain Sangha, Vidvat Parishad, the Veer Sewa Mandir,
etc. He was elected unopposed as a Municipal Councilor of Delhi Municipal
Committee and as a member of the Committee appointed by the Chief
Commissioner. Delhi for acceleration of private buildings. As a colonizer
he developed Daryaganj, Delhi-Shahdara, Ghaziabad, Western Extension Area
and Ballabhgarh, etc., and was appointed its the first solo welling agent
of Delhi Improvement Trust. He constructed many buildings prominent among
them being the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Hall at Bhopal, the M.P. Govt.
House at Kautilya Marg. Now Delhi and many buildings for M.E.S. at Agra
and Delhi Cantt, and also for Northern Railway at Delhi Main and other
places.
Smt. Krishna Devi Jain, wife of late Shri Raj Krishen Jain died
at the Historic City of Hastinapur on 27th April, 1979 where a Jambu Deep
is being erected. The �Trust also gut a chaityalaya built in the Sumaru.
She was cremated there at that time and it wits felt that there was no
proper place for cremation. The trustees have got constructed three Pucca
Chabutaras for cremation purposes there and have planted some trees and
arranged for a hand tube well. He hits also constructed there a Building,
after the name of his sister Smt. Rajkali Jain. The ground floor portion
of this building has been donated to Dig. Jain Mandir, Hastinapur and
upper portion for stay of his family members.
Lalaji also constructed a room in Mahavir Jain Bhawan, Mussorie
for stay of the general public. He was also responsible for construction
of Jain Temple at Modinagar where he was born. The land was purchased in
his name and that of some one else.
