साहू शांतिप्रसाद जैन

Sahu Shanti Prasad Jain was among the most prominent Jains of the 20th century. He was a leading industrialist and philanthropist.

He was born at Najibabad in Uttar Pradesh in the famous Sahu Jain family in 1911. His grandfather was Sahu Salekh Chand Jain who was involved in religious and charitable activities. His parents were Sahu Diwan Singh and mother Smt. Murti devi were deeply religious. Sahu Shanti Prasad received his primary education in Najibabad and his college education was first in Meerut and later at Banaras Hindu University. He did his B.Sc. from Agra University.

He founded Bharatiya Jnanpith on February 18, 1944 at the suggestion of many scholars who had gathered at Varanasi for All India Oriental Conference. He was the Trustee-Founder and his wife Rama Jain was Trustee-president. Since 1965 Bharatiya Jnanpith has been awarding Annual Literary Award Jnanpith Award of Rupees One Lakh and Fifty Thousand, for the best creative Indian Literary work of a specified period.

He took over from his father-in-law Ramkrishna Dalmia, the Rohtas Industries Ltd. at Dalmianagar in Bihar. Under his stewardship, Dalmianagar, developed into a massive industrial town with factories producing sugar, cement, paper, chemicals, vanaspati etc. employing top professionals of the country. Dalmianagar boasted of vast & beautiful housing colony, gardens, schools, clubs, market complexes etc. for its employees. Rohtas Industries had their own private aircraft in those days and a small air-field near Dalmianagar.

He acquired Bennett Coleman Co. Ltd in 1948, which has emerged as the influential The Times Group of India.

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He was a major supporter or founder of these organizations.

Organizations

1. Prakrit Research Institute, Vaishali (Bihar)
2. Syadvad Mahavidyalaya (college), Benaras
3. S. P. Jain College, Sasaram Nagar, Bihar
4. Non-violence Expansion Committee, Calcutta
5. Varni Sanskrit Vidyalaya (school), Sagar
6. Sahu Archaeological Museum, Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh
7. All India Digambar Jain Holy Places Committee, Mumbai
8. Digambar Jain Committee
9. Sahu Jain College, Najibabad
10. Moorti Devi Saraswati Inter College, Najibabad
11. Moorti Devi Kanya Vidyalaya, Najibabad
12. Indian Art Jain Research Institute, Moodabidri
13. Shraman Jain songs Pracharak Sangh (inspired by Muni Vidyanandji)

He was awarded the Shravak Shiromani title by the Jain community.

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Legacy

He died on October 27, 1977, two years after the death of his wife. His work was continued by his brother SahuShreyans Prasad Jain.

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FERA violation charges

During Nehru's regime, the trade with other countries and the foreign currencies were strictly regulated. Jain was caught, and subsequently arrested,at Palam airport(in latter day Mumbai) for bringing in foreign currency. The event was blacked out by the Times of India,even though other newspapers carried the story. .^[2]

In a repeat of sorts, Jain's son Ashok was indicted and arrested in 1998,a year before his death, in connection with an alleged violation of the FERA (Foreign Exchange Regulation Act). Again, the Times was accused of distorting facts pertaining to the case,even giving Ashok's indictment by the Enforcement Directorate the tint of a larger conspiracy against the Jain community in general.^[2] Adding to the controversy were sacked editor H.K. Dua's claims that his dismissal was retaliation for his refusal to comply with Ashok Jain's request to help him out by using his editorial position to build up public support besides lobbying with politicians.

साभार : विकिपीडिया