National Workshop Showcases India's Commitment to Jain and Minority Heritage

In a compelling affirmation of India's civilizational legacy and inclusive cultural outlook, a National Workshop on the Significance of Jain Manuscriptology was organized today at Gujarat University, Ahmedabad. The workshop was held under the banner of the Department for Validation of Indic Knowledge through Advanced Research, with funding support from the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India.

Bringing together an impressive confluence of Jain monks, scholars, academicians, linguists, and policymakers, the event served as a platform for rich dialogue and scholarly reflection on the spiritual, literary, and historical significance of Jain manuscript traditions — an often underrepresented yet intellectually vibrant dimension of Indian knowledge systems.

Jain Thought in Focus: Scriptural Legacy and Scholarly Responsibility

The highlight of the day was the presence of Shri Sunil Sagar Maharaj, a revered figure in Jain philosophy and Prakrit literature, whose deep insights and spiritual guidance elevated the workshop's scholarly atmosphere. Addressing the gathering, he emphasized the unparalleled intellectual discipline and ethical insights preserved within Jain scriptures, written in languages like Prakrit, Sanskrit, and Apabhramsha, often stored in libraries across Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra.

The workshop delved into the art and science of manuscriptology — including paleography, conservation techniques, decoding scripts, and the interpretive methodologies required to make ancient Jain texts more accessible to modern readers and researchers. Panel discussions also covered philosophical doctrines, mathematical treatises, cosmological charts, and ethical treatises embedded in the palm-leaf and paper manuscripts dating back centuries.

Government's Cultural Strategy: Preservation and Promotion of Minority Heritage

Delivering the keynote address as Chief Guest, Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, reiterated the Government of India’s focused commitment to safeguarding and mainstreaming traditional knowledge systems, particularly those of India’s six notified minority communities—Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, and Jains.

“The Government of India is proud to support initiatives that bring to light the vast and diverse intellectual traditions of our minority communities. Preserving these traditions not only honours our past but also strengthens the foundation for a culturally enriched future,” said Dr. Kumar.

Accompanying Dr. Kumar were Shri Ram Singh, Joint Secretary, and Shri Sravan Kumar, Deputy Secretary, who outlined PMJVK’s role in supporting academic research, language preservation, and heritage conservation projects.

They elaborated on the cross-disciplinary goals of such initiatives—to not only document and digitize ancient texts but also to integrate their philosophical and ethical frameworks into modern curricula, thereby enriching 21st-century education with timeless indigenous wisdom.

Extending the Vision: Inclusive Cultural Renaissance Underway

This event is part of a larger cultural and academic mobilization under PMJVK, aimed at uplifting India’s minority communities through targeted development programs and cultural revitalization. A notable companion initiative is already being conducted in collaboration with Mumbai University for the preservation of Avesta and Pahlavi, the ancient languages of the Parsi Zoroastrian tradition.

Such programs reflect a pan-Indian strategy of integrating regional, linguistic, and spiritual diversity into national development frameworks.

Academic Institutions as Stewards of Tradition and Modernity

Gujarat University’s role as host further cements its standing as a key player in preserving and advancing Indic civilizational studies. The institution has become a hub for heritage-based scholarship, blending modern research techniques with ancient wisdom. Its archives and partnerships with Jain institutions are enabling the systematic study, translation, and digital archiving of fragile texts.

The workshop concluded with a call for sustained investment in digitization labs, translation fellowships, script decoding modules, and interdisciplinary courses in manuscriptology, all of which will empower the next generation of scholars.

A Cultural Continuum: Linking the Past with the Future

The Jain Manuscriptology Workshop in Ahmedabad is more than a standalone academic event—it is a reflection of a widening national movement to recover, reinterpret, and recontextualize India’s spiritual and scholarly wealth. By integrating ancient knowledge systems into modern discourse and development, the Government is sending a powerful message: that the diversity of India’s past is not only to be preserved but mobilized as a guiding force for its future.