Rakesh Jhaveri

Rakesh Jhaveri
Born (1966-09-26) September 26, 1966
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Nationality Indian
Other names Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai
Parent(s) Rekha and Dilip Jhaveri
Website www.shrimadrajchandramission.org

Rakesh Jhaveri, also known as Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai,[upper-alpha 1] (born 26 September 1966) is a spiritual leader, scholar of Jainism, author and orator from India. He is a follower of the nineteenth century spiritual teacher Shrimad Rajchandra. He is the founder of Shrimad Rajchandra Mission, Dharampur.[1]

Early life

Rakesh Jhaveri was born in Mumbai, India on 26 September 1966 to Dilip and Rekha Jhaveri, who followed the Śvētāmbara Murtipujaka tradition of Jainism. In 1972, he began his academic studies at Activity High School in Mumbai. He acknowledged Shrimad Rajchandra as his Guru and in 1983, after he completed the ICSE exam, and decided devote his life to spiritual activities. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Osmania University, Hyderabad, in 1988. He post-graduated in Philosophy in 1991 from University of Mumbai. He completed PhD in 1998 from University of Mumbai. His PhD thesis was a study of Atmasiddhi, a spiritual work composed by Shrimad Rajchandra. He observed absolute silence and traveled extensively from 1985 to 1990.[2][3][4][5]

Institutions

Shrimad Rajchandra Mission, Dharampur

Ashram building at Dharampur
Rakeshbhai delivering discourse in Dharampur

He established Shrimad Rajchandra Adhyatmik Satsang Sadhana Kendra in 1994. In 1999, the construction of ashram at Dharampur started. In 2001, on the day of Mahavir Jayanti, he opened Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram at Dharampur. The ashram is located on the hillock of Mohangadh spread across 223 acres. It has 101 Satsang centres, 39 Youth Group Centres and 227 Divine Touch Centres worldwide.[3][6][7]

In 2002, He started initiating his followers, Atmarpits, on his birthday. These followers give up worldly possessions and commit to celibacy.[2][8]

In May 2015, Rakeshbhai was felicitated and presented with an award by Richard Verma, U.S. Ambassador to India, recognising his leadership in promotion of access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene in India.[9]

His followers organised three day festival at the NSCI Dome in Worli, Mumbai to mark his 50th birthday in September 2016. Shrimad Rajchandra Vidyapeeth, a science college for tribal students in South Gujarat was unveiled on the occasion.[10] In November 2016, the mission produced a play, Yugpurush: Mahatma na Mahatma depicting spiritual relationship between Shrimad Rajchandra and Mahatma Gandhi.[11][12]

In November 2016, the Mission opened the science college in Dharampur, Shrimad Rajchandra Vidyapeeth.[13][14][15] The college was virtually inaugurated in September 2016.[16][17] In June 2017, he was presented with a congressional record citing him as a 'living embodiment of Jainism' by Raja Krishnamoorthi, a U.S. Representative for Illinois's 8th congressional district on the occasion of his visit to the Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago in July 2017.[18]

He represented Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur when the Government of India released ₹10 coins, ₹150 souvenir coins and the stamps at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on 29 June 2017 as the commemoration of Shrimad Rajchandra's 150th birth anniversary.[19]

Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care

He established Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care program for universal upliftment.[20][21][22]

Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care has been participating in the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon since 2011. It has been the highest fund-raising NGO for seven consecutive years collecting approximately 77.26 lakh in 2011, 96.92 lakh in 2012, 1.38 crore in 2013, 1.5 crore in 2014[23][24] 1.6 crore in 2015. 2.56 crore in 2016.[25] 3.83 crore in 2017.[26]

In 2016, he with more than 3000 people pledged to donate their organs at an event in Mumbai.[27][28][29] In 2017, he was awarded certificates of appreciation in spreading awareness of organ donation in India and across the world by National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation and the Zonal Transport Coordination Centre, Mumbai.[30][31]

Personal life

Though he follows several principles of Jain monasticism, such as observing Mahavratas (major vows), he does not consider himself a monk. He resides with his followers at the Ashram in Dharampur and with his family when in Mumbai.[2]

Books

Documentary

Notes and references

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rakesh Jhaveri.

Notes

  1. ↑ Pujya Gurudevshri and Bhai are honorifics. He is credited in his books by this name.

References

  1. ↑ "Meeta Shah’s 'Gurave Namah' launched in Mumbai". Sep 6, 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Chhapia, Hemali (February 2013). "MBAs, doctors, engineers surrender soul to service and prayers". Times of India.
  3. 1 2 Verma, Shivi (29 January 2013). "The Messiah in white". Life Positive. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "", The University Of Chicago Library
  5. ↑ "Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai: Inspiring Inner Awakening and Social Service". The South Asian Times. The South Asian Times, LLC. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  6. ↑ "Centres". Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur. Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  7. ↑ Ghosh, Ajay. "Pujya Gurudevshri spreads fragrance of spirituality in Chicago". The Universal News Network. The Universal Mirror, LLC. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  8. ↑ "Meet the man who moved on from equities to community service". dna. 13 October 2011. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  9. ↑ "Pujya Gurudevshri Receives An Award From The American Ambassador". Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur. Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  10. ↑ "Drowning in Spiritual Bliss". Press Reader. Mid-Day. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  11. ↑ "Yugpurush". Yugpurush. Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur.
  12. ↑ "Yugpurush: An Inspirational Story of Shrimad Rajchandraji" (PDF). Janmabhoomi. Janmabhoomi. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  13. ↑ "Gujarat CM inaugurates Science College at Shrimad Rajchandra Vidyapith in Dharampur". CMO Gujarat. CMO Gujarat. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  14. ↑ "SHRIMAD RAJCHANDRA VIDYAPEETH". Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur. Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  15. ↑ "'Lokarpan' Ceremony of Shrimad Rajchandra Vidyapeeth". Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur. Shrimad Rajchandra Mission. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  16. ↑ "Inauguration of Science College by Revered Saints During 50th Year Celebrations of Pujya Gurudevshri" (PDF). Shrimad Rajchandra Mission. Daman Ganga Times. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  17. ↑ "'Unmoved Mover' - 3-Day Spiritual Fiesta to Celebrate Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai's Golden Jubilee Year" (PDF). Shrimad Rajchandra Mission. Kutchi Patrika. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  18. ↑ "HONORING HIS HOLINESS GURUDEV RAKESHBHAI JHAVERI, SPIRITUAL LEADER OF THE SHRIMAD RAJCHANDRA MISSION IN DHARAMPUR (Extensions of Remarks June 29, 2017)". Congress.gov. United States Library of Congress. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  19. ↑ "Bapu’s spiritual guru Shrimad Rajchandra remembered" (Jun 30 2017). Times of India. Times of India. Jun 30 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2017. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ↑ "Aditya Birla School student raises Rs 10 lakh for charity money". India Today. India Today. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  21. ↑ "7-year-old Inspires 3,000 People Including Mayor Snehal Ambekar And Subhash Ghai To Pledge Organs". Firefly Daily. Firefly Daily. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  22. ↑ "Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai: Inspiring Inner Awakening and Social Service". The South Asian Times. South Asian Times, LLC. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  23. ↑ Reghuram, Suchitra (19 January 2014). "The NGO with the maximum corporate support, Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care shines once again at the Mumbai Marathon". APN News. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  24. ↑ "STANDARD CHARTERED MUMBAI MARATHON 2014 CHARITY AWARDS" Retrieved June 08, 2014. Archived April 9, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.
  25. ↑ Correspondent, Special (April 23, 2016). "Mumbai Marathon raises record Rs 28.14 cr for charity". Newspaper (April 23, 2016). The Hindu. The Hindu. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  26. ↑ "Mumbai Marathon raises ₹32 cr.". The Hindu. The Hindu. April 7, 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  27. ↑ Shelar, Jyoti (Feb 16, 2016). "3,000 PLEDGE ORGANS AFTER PLEA BY LITTLE SAVIOUR’S KIN". Mumbai Mirror (Feb 16, 2016). Mumbai Mirror. Mumbai Mirorr. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  28. ↑ DebRoy, Sumitra (Feb 15, 2016). "7-year-old Oz donor's kin drive 3k to pledge organs". Times of India (Feb 15, 2016). Times of India. Times of India. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  29. ↑ "7-YEAR-OLD DONOR'S FAMILY DRIVES 3,000 PEOPLE TO ORGAN DONATION". The Flourishing India. The Flourishing India. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  30. ↑ "Award Certificate from Zonal Transplant Coordination Center" (PDF). Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur. Zonal Transport Coordination Center. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  31. ↑ "Certificate of Appreciation from NOTTO" (PDF). Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur. NOTTO. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  32. ↑ "Unmoved Mover: A Mystic and His Mission". Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur. Shrimad Rajchandra Mission. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
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