Sangh’s History
The creation of an ideal idea in 1928 and the birth of this organisation in 1929. That is why in 1978, when this organisation celebrated its three-day centenary festival in Mumbai with great pomp, social workers, intellectuals and dignitaries of Mumbai enthusiastically participated in it and heartily praised the services of the Youth Union and blessed them.
A photocopy of a document written in the handwriting of the seven dignitaries who thought and resolved to establish this organisation in 1928 has been published in this souvenir. It is dated On 25-11-1928, seven members of the Shri Jain Youth League met at the office of Shri Mumbai Jain Swayamsevak Mandal in Mumbai, and a resolution was passed in the meeting to establish Shri Mumbai Jain Yuvak Sangh. And on 3-5-1929, Shri Mumbai Jain Yuvak Sangh was born. Dr. Nagindas J. Shah, Shri Odhavji Dhanji Shah and Shri Parmanand Kunwarji Kapadia were appointed as ministers.
Those seven dignitaries set these objectives for this organisation at that time.
‘To take up political, religious and social issues and to organize measures to create awareness among the youth and to propagate them properly. Entry fee Rs. One and annual fee Rs. Two.’ To clarify further, mainly to organize and implement measures for the religious, economic and social advancement of the Jains while preserving the national interest, and to take steps that will flourish the national spirit.
To these objectives set eighty-five years ago, new objectives were added with the flow of time and with the efforts of sincere activists and dignitaries, the Shri Mumbai Jain Yuvak Sangh continued to make progress.
When the three-day half-century festival was held in 1978, the Yuvak Sangh presented three phases of its activities in the souvenir.
In the first phase
(1) Jihad against the activities of improper and bull-initiation.
(2) Publication of the mouthpiece.
(3) Paryushan Lecture Series.
When the second generation took over the helm of the organisation, this first phase had almost taken shape.
In the second phase
(1) New edition of ‘Prabuddha Jain’ in ‘Prabuddha Jivan’.
(2) Shri M. Md. Shah Reading Room and Library.
(3) Publication of the book.
The second and third generations worked according to this phase.
In the third phase
(1) Welcoming all Jains and non-Jains to the Sangh for membership.
(2) Vasant Lecture Series.
(3) Study Circle.
(4) Vedic Relief Activities.
(5) Premal Jyoti
(6) Vidyasatra.
(7) Staff Benefit Fund
The third and fourth generations also worked according to the objectives of the second phase and due to circumstances, the activities according to the second, third, third and sixth objectives had to be combined with the objectives of the third phase. But this generation started a very important activity of compassion and support, that is, during the Paryushan lecture series, collecting money for a social organisation in a backward region of Gujarat and donating it to that organisation. In 1985, this idea came to Dr. Ramanbhai Shah and till date, more than Rs. 7 crores have been donated to 37 organisations.
Now the fourth and fifth generation is working with all sincerity according to other objectives but now these workers have to face financial and other challenges to keep these activities alive.
The initial address of this organisation was in Dhanji Street in Mumbai. The organisation settled in this small place for 40 years and did various activities and earned a good reputation from the society. Now that place was getting small and the hardworking workers of that time-1968 decided to find a bigger place. At that time, Shri Babubhai G. Shah, a member of the Sangh’s Executive Committee, presented a check of Rs. 5000/- to the Sangh to get its bigger place and lit the lamp of enthusiasm. Immediately another old member Shri Damji Velji Shah also gave Rs. 5000/- in the name of his daughter Rekha, as a result of which a house fund was formed at the residence of Shri Dhirajlal Kulchand Shah, a member of the then Executive Committee of the Sangh. As a result, within a short time, an amount of Rs. 60,000 was collected for the building, and a half-ton space of 1900 carpet squares on the entire second floor of the mansion opposite Vanita Vishram on V. P. Road in the heart of Mumbai was taken, and the big hall in it was named after Shri Parmanand Kunwarji Kapadia, as a token of appreciation for Parmanandbhai’s years of service to the Sangh. As a result, the new place was inaugurated on 25-12-1969 by the auspicious hands of P. Kaka Saheb Kalelkar. First, this place was rented, then soon in 1970, this place got a cooperative form and was named Rasadhara Co. Yes. Society. Now this place became the property of the organisation. But as the building became old, the Mumbai Municipality ordered its demolition, so the organisation had to vacate the building and give away its collection of more than ten thousand books to another organisation. It also had to consolidate the activities of the Osteopathy Treatment Center and the ‘Ramkadan Ghar’ run by Dr. Pithawala’s Madh Seva. At present, the organisation’s temporary office is in Opera House. When the organisation gets its new place later, the organisation will surely flourish with the above and other new activities.
In forming this organisation and embodying new ideas, along with other sincere workers, this organisation received three main leaders – Shri Parmanand Kunwarji Kapadia, Shri Chimanlal Chakubhai Shah and Dr. Ramanlal Chi. Shah – the ideas and ideals of these three great people shaped the organisation and did fundamental work in the ideological and social fields and made the organisation strong and prestigious.
The pictures of all these great people and their fellow great people have been published in this memorial. We, the current workers, salute their service.
Moreover, when we read the list of names of the great people who have visited this organisation, we feel that this organisation is not an organisation but a temple.