25th August 2014 was the 150th birth anniversary of Virchand Raghavji Gandhi and it was celebrated at many cities in Gujarat and the US.
Virchand Raghavji Gadhi was the first Jain to travel to the US where he attended the 1893 World Parliament of Religions and put to rest many misunderstandings false impressions of Jain religion among the westerners of those days and laid the foundations for creating an awareness about the Jain religion.
A documentary on his life by Pankaz Jain Hingarh was aired on Arihant TV Channel on the eve of the anniversary. Link to the documentary at the bottom of the page.
A detailed article on his life and activities written by Dr Kumarpal Desai was published by the leading Gujarti newspaper in India ‘Gujarat Samachar’ in its editions published in Ahmedabad, Baroda, Rajkot, Surat, Bhavnagar and Mumbai. Dr Kumarpal Desai has written several articles on Shree V R Gandhi and was instrumental in getting a square in Ahmedabad city names after V R Gandhi.
Lectures on his life will be arranged during the centennial celebrations of Mahavir Jain Vidyalay.
When Pujya Shree Lokesh Muni visits Ahmedabad to celebrate his own diksha day on 27th September 2014 at the Oshwal Bhavan, Shahibag, Dr Kumarpal Desai as the Chief Speaker has been asked to pay tribute to his life and contribution to this great Jain and a humanitarian.
Many of the Jain Centres in the US celebrated the 150th anniversary by way of paying tribute to this Great Jain who was the first Jain outside India to talk about Jain Religion to Westerners, when very few of them knew that a religion called Jain existed and removed misunderstanding of those who had heard of Jain Religion that Jain Religion was an offshoot of Hindu and / or Buddha Religions.
There was a grand celebration at Mahuva – V R Gandhi’s birthplace in presence of P.P. Acharyashree Somachandra Surishwarji Marasaheb, Mahuva Jain Sangh, Hon’ble Mahuva Mayor, dignitaries and VRG’s family/great grand children.Great grand son Chandreshbhai Gandhi along with the Mayor lighted lamp. Chandreshbhai also announced several projects related to his great grand father.
In Ahmedabad “Dharma Jagruti Kendra (under Gujarat Yuvak Kendra)” celebrated Shri Virchand Raghavji Gandhi’s 150th Anniversary by inviting Dr. Pritiben N. Shah whose doctorate thesis was on VRG, she is also the co-author of book “Gandhi Before Gandhi’ which has also been produced as a play with the same name).
“Kendra” also passed RESOLUTION for submission to Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to install VRG’s statue at appropriate place in Ahmedabad having already named a square after his name.
A resolution for submission to the Anandji Kalyanji Pedhi is also being considered to erect VRG’s statue at the two major Jain tirths, Shametshikharji and Shantrunjya both of which were protected by VRG, one from Poll Tax from Thakur and another from cruelty to animals by getting slaughter house removed.
Brief glimpses of his contribution and achievements can be viewed on the first documentary on the life of Shree V R Gandhi – Unsung Saga of A Man