Rice, local Jain community join forces to further global understanding of ancient Indian religion

MEDIA ADVISORY

David Ruth
david@rice.edu
713-348-6327

Jeff Falk
jfalk@rice.edu
713-348-6775

Rice, local Jain community join forces to further global understanding of ancient Indian religion

HOUSTON – (Jan. 15, 2016) – Rice University representatives and leaders of the local Jain community will sign a memorandum of understanding Jan. 17 to mark the community’s gift of $80,000 to support a new postdoctoral fellowship at Rice. The fellowship will help deepen the global understanding of Jainism as religion and culture and will contribute to the Transnational Asia Research Initiative at Rice’s Chao Center for Asian Studies. 

Photo courtesy of Jain Society of Houston

Who: Sonia Ryang, director of the Chao Center and the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Asian Studies at Rice; Jeffrey Kripal, the J. Newton Rayzor Professor of Religion at Rice; Urvashi Jain, president of the Jain Society of Houston; and Sulekh Jain, who will be signing on behalf of the Jain Society of Houston, the International School for Jain Studies in New Delhi, the Jain Center of Southern California in Los Angeles and others.

What: Memorandum of understanding signing ceremony between Rice University and the local Jain community.

When: 11:45 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 17.            

Where: Jain Society of Houston Center, 3905 Arc St.

Jainism is one of the oldest religious traditions of India and has existed side by side with Hinduism throughout their long histories. The basic philosophy of Jainism promotes nonviolence and “anekantvad,” a doctrine that views life as multidimensional. For more information about the Jain Society of Houston and Jainism, go to www.jainsocietyhouston.org.

Members of the news media who want to attend should RSVP to Jeff Falk, associate director of national media relations at Rice, at jfalk@rice.edu or 713-348-6775.

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