https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Virchand_GandhiVirchand Gandhi - Revision history2026-08-18T12:08:41ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Virchand_Gandhi&diff=447574&oldid=prevMadelaineStanfie: minor edit2026-02-12T21:35:27Z<p>minor edit</p>
<a href="//en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Virchand_Gandhi&diff=447574&oldid=117831">Show changes</a>MadelaineStanfiehttps://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Virchand_Gandhi&diff=117831&oldid=prev>GS AV Mahasangh: /* Recognition */2021-02-28T18:46:09Z<p><span class="autocomment">Recognition</span></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Jain scholar who represented Jainism at the first World Parliament of Religions in 1893}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2014}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| image = Virachand Raghavji Gandhi.jpg<br />
| alt = Virchand Gandhi<br />
| caption = Virchand Gandhi<br />
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1864|8|25}}<br />
| birth_place = [[Mahuva, Bhavnagar|Mahuva]], Gujarat<br />
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1901|8|7|1864|8|25}}<br />
| death_place = Mahuwar, near [[Mumbai]], India<br />
| education = B.A.(Law)<br />
| alma_mater = [[University of Bombay]]<br />
| occupation = Lawyer, scholar on Jainism<br />
| known_for = Representing Jainism at the first [[World Parliament of Religions]], Chicago 1893<br />
| children = ?<br />
| parents = Raghav Tejpal Gandhi<br />
| signature = Virchand Gandhi Sign.svg<br />
| signature_alt = Virchand Gandhi Signature<br />
}}<br />
'''Virachand Raghavji Gandhi''' (25 August 1864 – 7 August 1901)<ref name=OpenCourt>{{cite book|last=Howard|first=Mrs. Charles|title=The Open Court, Vol. 16, Nr. 4 "The Death of Mr. Virchand R. Gandhi"|date=April 1902|publisher=The Open Court Publishing Company|location=Chicago|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i-IeAQAAIAAJ&q=gandh&pg=PA51}}</ref> was a Jain scholar who represented [[Jainism]] at the first [[World Parliament of Religions]] in 1893.<ref name=it>{{cite web|last=Tribune|first=India|title=Virchand Gandhi – a Gandhi before Gandhi An unsung Gandhi who set course for his namesake|url=http://www.indiatribune.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9374:virchand-gandhi--a-gandhi-before-gandhi-an-unsung-gandhi-who-set-course-for-his-namesake-&catid=25:community&Itemid=457|publisher=India Tribune|access-date=17 August 2012}}</ref> A barrister by profession, he worked to defend the rights of Jains, and wrote and lectured extensively on Jainism, other religions, and philosophy.<br />
<br />
==Background and early accomplishments==<br />
[[File:Virchand Gandhi poster.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Poster announcing lecture by Virachand Gandhi]]<br />
Gandhi was born on 25 August 1864<ref name="JAINA">{{cite web|title=Virchand Raghavji Gandhi: A Jain Hero|url=http://www.jaina.org/|website=JAINA: Federation of Jain Associations in North America|publisher=JAINA|access-date=21 May 2016}}</ref> in [[Mahuva, Bhavnagar|Mahuva]] near [[Bhavnagar]] (now in Gujarat, [[India]]),<ref name="Shah2004" /> to Mahuva Nagar Sheth<ref name="HereNow4U"/> and Raghavji Tejpalji Gandhi. His father, Raghavji, was a businessman.<ref name=it/><ref name="Virachand Gandhi">[http://virchandgandhi.blog.com/ Virachand Gandhi]</ref> After completing primary and secondary school in Mahuva, Gandhi was sent to [[Bhavnagar]] for further studies.<ref name="Jainsamaj">{{cite web |last1=Shah |first1=Raksha |title=The Valiant Jain Patriot-Virchand Raghavji Gandhi |url=http://www.jainsamaj.org/rpg_site/literature2.php?id=536&cat=42 |website=Jainsamaj|publisher=Ahimsa Foundation |access-date=21 May 2016}}</ref> In 1879, Gandhi married Jiviben.<ref name="SAT">{{cite web|title=Barrister Virchand Raghavji Gandhi (VRG) Timeline biography|url=http://www.thesouthasiantimes.info/index.php?param=news/4813/New%20York/112|website=The South Asian Times|publisher=The South Asian Times, LLC.|access-date=22 May 2016}}</ref><ref name="HereNow4U">{{cite web|title=Glimpse of Virchand Gandhi Stamp Release and 'A tribute to 19th century Indian Legend' Book by JAINA.VRG|url=http://www.herenow4u.net/index.php?id=74585|website=HereNow4U|publisher=HereNow4U|access-date=30 May 2016}}</ref> At the age of sixteen, upon placing first on the Bhavanagar matriculation examination, he was awarded the ‘Shri Jaswant Singhji’ scholarship.<ref name="Jainsamaj"/> Gandhi continued his education at [[Elphinstone College]], of the [[University of Bombay]].<ref name=it/><ref name="Shah2004" /><ref name=Desai>{{cite book|last=Desai (ed.)|first=Mohanlal Dalichand|title="Virchand R. Gandhi in America", in Jainacharya Shri Atmanand Janma Shatabdi Smarak Grantha (Jainacharya Shri Atmanand Centenary Commemoration Volume)|year=1936|location=Bombay|pages=4–9|url=http://www.herenow4u.net/index.php?id=75997}}</ref> He graduated with honors in 1884, having earned a bachelor's degree in law.<ref name=it/><ref name="JAINA"/><ref name="Shah2004" /><ref name="Desai"/> Gandhi was a polyglot who spoke fourteen languages, including Gujarati, Hindi, Bengali, English, Prakrit, Sanskrit, and French.<ref name="JAINA"/> Gandhi was a friend of [[Mahatma Gandhi]], and joined Mahatma in his "experiments in dietetics" ([[vegetarianism]]). Virchand helped Mahatma in the latter's struggle to establish a legal practice.<ref name="Story">{{cite book|last1=Gandhi|first1=Mahatma|title=The Story of My Experiments with Truth|date=1927|publisher=Jitendra T. Desai|location=India|isbn=0-8070-5909-9|url=https://archive.org/details/autobiographyst00gand|access-date=21 May 2016|chapter=28 "The First Case"|url-access=registration}}</ref><br />
<br />
In 1885, at the age of 21, he became the first honorary secretary of the Jain Association of India.<ref name=Desai /> During his term, he fought against a tax being levied by the ruler of [[Palitana State|Princely State of Palitana]] on pilgrims visiting [[Mount Shatrunjaya]], [[Palitana]].<ref name="Shah2004" /> During the course of this fight Gandhi met [[Donald Mackay, 11th Lord Reay|Lord Reay]], the British colonial governor of [[Bombay]], and Colonel John Watson of the [[Kathiawar Agency]]. With the help of these two individuals, he ultimately negotiated an annual fixed payment of Rs. 15000, rather than an individual tax on each pilgrim.<ref name="Virachand Gandhi"/> Gandhi also fought to close a pig slaughterhouse that had been started in 1891 close to Mount [[Shikharji]], a holy place of Jain pilgrimage. Gandhi spent six months in [[Calcutta]] learning [[Bengali language|Bengali]] and preparing his case against the slaughterhouse. He was eventually successful in getting the slaughterhouse closed.<ref name="Shah2004" /><br />
<br />
[[File:Swami Vivekananda at Parliament of Religions.jpg|thumb|right|200px|At the World Parliament of Religions. From left to right: Virchand Gandhi, [[Anagarika Dharmapala|Hewivitarne Dharmapala]], [[Swami Vivekananda]], and (possibly) [[Amy Gaston Bonet-Maury|G. Bonet Maury]]]]<br />
<br />
==Trip to the World Parliament of Religions==<br />
{{See also|Jainism in America}}<br />
Gandhi represented [[Jainism]] at the first [[World Parliament of Religions]], held in Chicago in 1893.<ref name="Shah2004" /><br />
Jain monk Acharya [[Vijayanandsuri]], also known as Acharya Atmaram, had initially been invited to represent [[Jainism]] at the Parliament, but as Jain monks do not travel overseas, he could not attend. Atmaram recommended Gandhi to go in his stead and serve as the emissary for the religion. Atmaram and his disciple [[Vallabhsuri]] trained Gandhi for six months.<ref name="Shah2004" /><ref name="Virachand Gandhi"/><br />
<br />
[[File:Virchand Gandhi US.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Poster calling Gandhi 'a most eloquent scholar and linguist']]<br />
Gandhi received a positive response at the Parliament<ref name="Shah2004" /><ref name="Virachand Gandhi"/> and was asked to deliver more lectures. He ultimately stayed two years in the US and one year in the UK<ref name="Shah2004" /> He went outside India to promote Jain values on two other occasions,<ref name="Shah2004" /> and is known for giving about 535 lectures on Jainism and having attracted followers from outside India to Jainism.<ref name="Shah2004" /> He was awarded various medals for his lectures.<ref name="Shah2004" /><br />
<br />
He was a contemporary to [[Swami Vivekanand]], who deeply admired him. He faced criticism over his sea voyage, which was at the time considered unholy. Vivekanand, impressed with Gandhi's adherence to [[vegetarianism]] in the face of the cold Chicago climate, came to his defence: in an 1894 letter to [[Haridas Viharidas Desai]], Diwan of Junagadh, he wrote "Now here is Virchand Gandhi, the Jain whom you knew well in Bombay. This man never takes anything but mere vegetables even in this terribly cold climate and tooth and nail tries to defend his countrymen and the religion. The people of this country like him very well. But what are they doing who sent him over? They are trying to outcast him."<br />
<br />
Herbert Warren, who studied Jainism under Gandhi and adopted the Jain religion, published a book on Gandhi's lectures titled ''Herbert Warren's Jainism''.<br />
<br />
The American newspaper, the ''Buffalo Courier'', wrote regarding Gandhi, "of all Eastern scholars, it was this youth whose lectures on Jain Faith and Conduct was listened to with the greatest interest and attention". Later, in Kasadova, he delivered a lecture on 'Some Mistakes Corrected' on 8 August 1894, which prompted the citizens of the city to award him a gold medal.<ref>{{cite web|title=JAINA, VRG Scholarship Brochure|url=http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.jaina.org/resource/resmgr/VRG_Documents/VRG_Scholarship_Brochure_10J.pdf|publisher=JAINA, VRG Committee}}</ref><br />
<br />
Gandhi had studied [[Buddhism]], [[Vedanta]] Philosophy, Christianity, and western philosophy. He praised Mogul [[Emperor Akbar]] for his equal treatment of all religions.<br />
<br />
[[File:V.A.Gandhi.jpg|thumb|right|200px|From Left to Right – Narasima Charya, Lakshmi Narain, Swami Vivekananda, Hewivitarne Dharmapala, Virachand Raghav Gandhi]]<br />
<br />
Gandhi propagated the relevance of Jain tenets and [[Mahavira]]'s message of [[nonviolence]]. He delivered about 535 speeches on Jainism, other religions, and social and cultural lives in India, all of which received wide publication. He was invited two more times, first in 1897, and then in 1899 to the West.<ref name=it/><br />
<br />
==Later life and death==<br />
[[File:Virchand Gandhi teaching Jainism to lady in US 1893.jpg|thumb|Virchand Gandhi teaching Jainism to lady in US, 1893]]<br />
{{Jainism}}<br />
Gandhi founded Gandhi Philosophical Society and the Society for the Education of Women in India (SEWI). He participated in Pune session of [[Indian National Congress]] in 1895 as a representative of [[Bombay state]],<ref name=it/><ref name="Shah2004" /> and lectured on Indian politics and industry in Large Hall of William Science building on 19 December 1898. He also participated at the International Conference of Commerce in 1899 and represented Asia.<ref name="Shah2004" /> He settled tax disputes of [[Palitana]] and [[Shikharji]] piggery case.<ref name=it/><br />
<br />
Gandhi died at the age of thirty-seven<ref name="Shah2004" /> of haemorrhaging of the lungs on 7 August 1901 at Mahuwar, near Mumbai, India.<br />
<br />
==Works==<br />
* ''The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ: translation from French to English''. It was a manuscript found in [[Tibet]].<ref name=vry>{{cite book |title=The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ |publisher=Kessinger Publishing |author=Gandhi, Virchand R. |year=2003 |page=138 |isbn=0766138984 <!--|ISBN=9780766138988 -->}}</ref><br />
* ''The Life of Saint Iss''<ref name=vgx>{{cite book | title=The Life of Saint Iss|publisher=Kessinger Publishing |author=Gandhi, Virchand R. |year=2010 |page=138 |isbn=1161579117 <!--|ISBN=9781161579116 -->}}</ref><br />
* ''Religion and philosophy of the Jainas''<ref name=vrgjp>{{cite book |title=Religion and philosophy of the Jainas |publisher=Jain International |author=Gandhi, Virchand |year=1993 |editor=Nagīna Jī Śāha}}</ref><br />
<br />
===Collection===<br />
* ''Speeches and Writings of Virchand R. Gandhi'', collected and edited by Bhagu F. Karbhari<br />
<br />
==Recognition==<br />
[[File:Virchand Raghavji Gandhi.jpg|thumb|Postal Stamp by India post on 8 November 2009]]<br />
* Gandhi was accorded both a welcome and honour by many literary and spiritual institutions, churches and societies. He was presented with medals.<ref name=it/><br />
* A museum was constructed and dedicated to Gandhi in 1964.<ref name=it/><br />
* In the 1990s, statues of Gandhi were erected in Chicago and [[Mahuva, Bhavnagar|Mahuva]].<ref name=it/><br />
*He was remembered on 1993 Parliament of World religions.<ref name="Shah2004" /><br />
* A drama based on his life, ''Gandhi Before Gandhi'', was performed 200 times throughout the world.<ref name=it/><br />
* On 8 November 2009, the Indian Postal Department honoured him by issuing a postal stamp with his image.<ref name=it/><ref>{{cite book|author=Jain, Manik|year=2018| title= Phila India Guide Book| publisher= Philatelia| pages=219}}</ref><ref>http://postagestamps.gov.in/Stamps_List.aspx</ref><br />
* On 25th August, 2013, his Saardh Janma Shatabdi Year celebrations commenced at Vallabh Vihar, Rohini Delhi under the aegis of Akhil Bhartiya Shree Atma Vallabh Jain Mahasangh, organised by Shree Atmanand Jain Sabha, Rohini, Delhi.<br />
* On 17th August, 2014, the concluding function was held at Thane in the august presence of Gachhadhipati Jainacharya Shree Vikay Nityanand Surishwer Ji. The programme was held under the banner of Shree Atma VAllabh Jain Mahasangh with Mr. Ashok Jain as the Programme Convenor who also made an elaborate presentation on the life and achievements of Shree Virchand Raghav Gandhi.<br />
* As a befitting finale to the yearlong celebrations, One day programme was organised by Akhil Bhartiya Shree Atma Vallabh Jain Mahasangh, Vallabh Smarak Jain Mandir Tirth & Akhil Bhartiya Shree Jain Shwetamber Yuvak Mahasangh at Balyogi Auditorium in the Sansad Bhawan. Sh Ravisahnkar Prasead, Union Minister of Law & Justice,Information and Broadcasting & Information Technology presided the deliberations attended by 15 Members of Parliament and leading Jains from all over Indie. Gandhi Before Gandhi - a play on the life and ideals of Shri Virchand Raghav Gandhi was presented by Rangat Productions, Mumbai. Keynote presentation was made by Sh Ashok Jain, Programme Convenor and Hony Secretary of Vallabh Smarak Jain Mandir Tirth, Delhi<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Champat Rai Jain]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist|refs=<br />
<ref name="Shah2004">{{citation|last=Shah|first=Natubhai|title=Jainism: The World of Conquerors|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qLNQKGcDIhsC&pg=PA55|year=2004|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-1938-2|pages=55–56}}</ref>}}<br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
*{{citation | title=The Systems of Indian Philosophy:Speeches and Writings of Virchand R. Gandhi | publisher=Shri Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya Bombay | author=Gandhi, Virchand R. | year=1970 | location=Mumbai | editor=Dr. K. K. Dixit}}<br />
*{{citation | title=Savirya-Dhyan | publisher=The Jain Association of India | author=Shubhachandradevsuri | year=1989 | location=Bombay | others=Gandhi, Virchand R. (trans.), Anandnandan Lalan (commentary)|editor=Pannalal R. Shah | language=gu}}<br />
*{{citation | title=Gandhi Before Gandhi | author=Dr. Bipin Doshi & Preeti Shah | year=2009}}<br />
* ''Selected speeches of V. R. Gandhi'', 1964 English<br />
:Selected speeches taken from books 1, 2, and 3. Publisher – Vallabh Smarak Nidhi, Bombay<br />
<br />
* ''A tribute to 19th Century Indian Legend: Shri Virchandji Raghavji Gandhi'', 2009, English<br />
:Edited By Gunvant Barvalia, Mahesh Gandhi, Pankaz Chandmal Hingarh (Published by Pravin C Shah Chair & Prakash Mody – Federation of Jain Association of North America, VRG Committee)<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
{{commons}}<br />
{{wikiquote}}<br />
*[http://www.thesouthasiantimes.info/news-The_Forgotten_Gandhi-4883-New%20York-112.html Virchand Gandhi article in USA's Newspaper ''The South Asian Times'']<br />
<br />
{{Modern Jain writers|state=expanded}}<br />
{{Jainism topics}}<br />
<br />
{{Authority control}}<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gandhi, Virachand}}<br />
[[Category:1864 births]]<br />
[[Category:Nonviolence advocates]]<br />
[[Category:Scholars of Jainism]]<br />
[[Category:Indian Jain religious leaders]]<br />
[[Category:Contemporary Indian philosophers]]<br />
[[Category:Gujarati people]]<br />
[[Category:19th-century Indian philosophers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian male philosophers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian barristers]]<br />
[[Category:1901 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:19th-century Indian lawyers]]<br />
[[Category:People from Bhavnagar district]]<br />
[[Category:University of Mumbai alumni]]</div>>GS AV Mahasangh