By Rajorshi Biswas
New Delhi: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro has commended the efforts of Jain religious leader Acharya Lokesh to spread ahimsa (non-violence), peace and brotherhood in the world.
The Vatican ambassador called on the social reformer of Jainism on April 7 at his residence in central Delhi.
The 63-year-old archbishop, who took over as Pope Francis’ representative in India on February 16, handed over a letter to the Acharya conveying the Vatican message of peace and harmony.
The Acharya, who will turn 56 on April 17, has planned several programs to mark the 2616th birth anniversary of Jain Guru Mahavir.
On April 7 evening, he will deliver a message of peace and inter-religious harmony in Kolkata. West Bengal Governor Kesharinath Tripathi is scheduled to open the program.
On April 8, the Jain leader will organize an inter-religious function in the national capital. The Acharya, will host an international inter-faith peace conference April end at Mumbai, India’s commercial capital.
More than 1,100 delegates from across the world are expected to attend the program. “Eminent representatives of different religions and faith would attend the peace conclave,” the Acharya told Matters India.
The meeting of the Vatican ambassador and the Jain leader was a show of solidarity for peace and religious harmony, says a source close to the Jain leader.
The Acharya is also versatile thinker, writer and poet. For the past 30 years, he has made efforts to build national character, develop human values and establish non-violence, peace and mutual co-operation in society.
He has traveled on foot about 20,000 kilometers throughout the country to remove social evils and for propagate moral values. “My first and last ambition is that I should be able to make the world free from violence, terrorism and tension and that I may help in making my humble contribution in establishing peace and mutual co-operation,” says a website on the Acharya.
After completing his formal education he studied Jain, Buddhist, Vedic and other Indian and foreign philosophies.
In 2001, the then US president Bill Clinton invited him to visit America. During his first visit to the States in 2007, the Acharya discussed Peace Education and training of non-violence in the Senate, where members of both the political parties namely Republican and Democrats participated.
The Acharya has written more than a dozen books in prose and poetry. His literature shows a new approach and solution to current problems.
The Jain leader has stated a movement to check abortion of female child and other social evils.