Barrister Champat Rai Jain (1867 - 1942)

 Founder Member of A. I. Dig. Jain Parishad & Recipient of "Jain Darshan Diwakar" Title

Late Barrister Champat Rai Jain was born to L. Chandra Mal and Smt. Parwati Devi at Delhi. He was adopted as a son by L. Sohanlal Bankelal at the age of 7 and married to the daughter of B. Pyare Lal Jain, Advocate at the age of 13. In 1892, he proceeded to England and returned back as Barrister in 1897. He practiced at Delhi, Moradabad and Amritsar and finally settled at Hardoi in U. P. For several years he was President of Bar Association there. He was a leading Barrister in criminal side in Chief Court of Oudh. Onwards 1913 he made through study of Jain concepts and others religions. Dharma Maha Mandal of Kashi had honoured him with the title of 'Vidhya Varidhi' and Dig. Jain Parishad with the title of Jain Darshan Diwakar.

After leaving the legal profession, several times he went to Europe where he stayed for long periods and spent lakhs of rupees on publishing and distribution of Jain books written by him and for propagation of Jain religion there. In 1942, he created C. R. Jain Trust of over rupees two lakhs to continue the work even after his death. Tall and with fair complexion, Barrister Champat Rai had a harming personality.

He had met Rabindra Nath Tagore at Shanti Niketan and had contacts with Mahatma Gandhi. He was an effective orator, great reformist and one of the founders of A. I. Dig. Jain Parishad. He wroth several books important of which are Key of Knowledge, Confluence of Opposites, Jain Logic, Discourse Divine, House older's Dharma, Practical Dharma, Sanyas Fait, Knowledge and Conduct, What is Jainism, The Change of Heart, Jain Penance, Jain Culture, Jain Law, Atma Ramayana, Rishabh Deva, where the Shoe Pinches, The Gems of Islam, Glimpses of A Hidden Science in Original Christian Teaching, Jainism, Christianity and Science. Most of these books have been published in Hindi translation and some of them also in Urdu. He also worked for Jain Archeological findings both in India and foreign countries.

The heroic leader expired at Karachi on 2nd June, 1942 after prolonged illness.

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Source : From 'Progressive Jains' Authored By Mr. Satish Kumar Jain

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