Virchand gandhi biography en

Virachand Raghavji Gandhi (25 August 1864 – 7 August 1901) was a.
Shri Virchand R. Gandhi was born on the August 25, 1864 in Mahuva, near Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India.
Virchand Raghavji Gandhi became the first Jain to travel to the United States for the World's Parliament of Religions, which took place in Chicago in 1893.

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Shri Virchand Raghavji Gandhi ►Biography

A Brief Summary of Life and Mission of Shri Virchand Raghavji Gandhi

A pioneer in the introduction of Jainism to the West

It was the memorable day of September 11, 1893. The Columbus Hall of Art Institute of Chicago was overflowing with more than 3000 delegates of different nations and religions. It was the opening day of the Parliament of World Religions Conference, the first such conference ever organized in the history of mankind. The aim of the conference was to impart to the world, the knowledge of different religions, and to promote a feeling of fraternity between followers of diverse religious persuasion, and also to pave the way for world peace. The conference lasted for 17 days.

Two young men among them with their Indian costume and turban drew special attention of the public - one was the world famous Swami Vivekananda, who represented Hinduism and Shri Virchand Raghavji Gandhi who represented Jainism. They made such an impact at the Parliament of Religions with their impressive speeches and personality that both of th

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Frontiers of Peace and Pluralism: Legacy of Virchand Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda

At the first Parliament (convened in 1893 in Chicago), this vision was highlighted by India’s two visionary leaders: Virchand Gandhi (b. 1864), a Jain representative, and Swami Vivekananda (b. 1863), a Hindu monk, both of similar age. In many of the photos of the assembly of faiths, both individuals can be seen dressed in their Indian attire: one in royal kurtas and the other in ochre robes. With turbans dawned on their heads, both charismatic men stood out among the dignitaries, most of whom were dressed in western suits. At a time when exclusive dogma guided religious discourse, and the idea of respect for diversity of thought was in nascent state, the 1893 convening of the Parliament provided a platform to affirm and showcase the diversity of voices and beliefs.As the preparations for the 8^th Parliament (to be held virtually in October 2021, due to the Covid Pandemic) are underway, the list of invited plenary speakers from different backgrounds— culture, language, gender, race, status, class,

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V.R. Gandhi at the World’s Parliament of Religions

Virchand Raghavji Gandhi became the first Jain to travel to the United States for the World’s Parliament of Religions, which took place in Chicago in 1893.

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The entry hall of the new Jain Center of Metropolitan Chicago contains a bronze image and plaque honoring Virchand Raghavji Gandhi, the first Jain to come to the United States. He came as a Jain representative to the World’s Parliament of Religions in 1893. Gandhi would have been astonished to see, in the centennial year of that Parliament, June of 1993, a new million-dollar Jain temple dedicated in Bartlett, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. In the very week of the Parliament centennial observances in September of 1993, the memorial honoring V.R. Gandhi was installed and dedicated.

V.R. Gandhi came to the Parliament at the request of His Holiness Acharya Shri Vijay Anandsuri, better known as Muni Shri Atmaramji. It was Atmaramji, a Jain monk and leading reformer, who had initially received the invitation to attend the Parliamen