Parveen Jain, PhD is the founder, CEO and Chairman of Arihanta Institute, and the author of An Introduction to Jain Philosophy. He had an exciting career of over thirty years as founder and chief executive of multiple technology companies, and a senior executive role at McAfee, the cyber security company, and in 2014, he retired from active corporate life to devote his full time to philanthropic activities.

 

Parveen has always cherished philanthropy and has held leadership roles in various non-profit organizations. He has been a long-time trustee of the International Mahavira Jain Mission, where he has been deeply involved with the growth of Siddhachalam, the first Jain tīrtha outside of India, from its founding. He led the team to build the Jain Temple in the San Francisco Bay Area, has served as chairman and president of Jain Center of Northern California, and continues to be an active advisor. Previously, he was a founding director of the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple, served as a trustee of the American Foundation for the Blind, was a founding team member of the South Asian Heart Center, and served as a founding director of Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education (Stanford-CARE).

 

Parveen is most passionate about furthering the initiatives inspired by Ācārya Sushil Kumar in the service of Jain tradition: promoting the message of nonviolence, creating Jain educational platforms, and applying Jain principles to everyday life among the growing global Jain community, for current and future generations.
 

Chaitanya Prakash (Chellamuthu Rajamani) is completing his Master of Arts in Religion at Claremont School of Theology, specializing in Engaged Jain Studies.
 

His journey to Jain scholarship is remarkable. He holds a Ph.D. in Education from Sardar Patel University, India, and is a USA Fulbright Scholar in Communication Technology from Syracuse University. With over 40 years of experience in media leadership, he served in senior executive roles at Doordarshan India and ASTRO Malaysia, where he shaped television content reaching millions of viewers across South and Southeast Asia.

 

Dr. Rajamani discovered the transformative power of Jainism. The principles of non-violence (ahimsa), multiple perspectives (anekantavada), and non-possession (aparigraha) profoundly changed his understanding of life. Under the guidance of Dr. Parveen Jain, Dr. Christopher Jain Miller, Dr. Venu Mehta, Dr. Cogen Bohanec, and Dr. Jonathan Dickstein, he immersed himself in Jain philosophy, ethics, karma theory, and yoga. These studies opened new dimensions of compassion and wisdom in his life.
 

Dr. Rajamani uniquely bridges media expertise with spiritual wisdom. He envisions sharing Jain teachings with global audiences by making ancient wisdom accessible through modern communication platforms. He believes Jain principles can inspire positive transformation in individuals and communities worldwide.

 

His story demonstrates that transformation knows no age limit. Learning never stops, and spiritual growth continues throughout life.

Dr. Rajamani aspires to pursue doctoral studies in Jain Studies, dedicating the next chapter of his life to serving humanity through the timeless teachings of the Jain tradition.
 

His message to others: “Jain education transforms lives. It brings peace, purpose, and the power to create positive change. I invite you to join this journey of learning and transformation.”

Dr. Cogen Bohanec is Assistant Professor in Sanskrit and Jain Studies at Arihanta Institute and is Affiliate Assistant Professor at Claremont School of Theology (CST). He teaches courses in Sanskrit and other South Asian languages (Pāḷi, Gujarati), Jain philosophy, philosophy of religion, and comparative dharma traditions. He has also taught courses on South Asian culture, religions, and Sanskrit at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in Berkeley.

Dr. Bohanec specializes in the Jain, Hindu, and Buddhist traditions, with particular focus on comparative dharma studies, contemplative studies, philosophy of religion, and theo-ethics—including virtue ethics, environmental ethics, and animal ethics. A trained philologist, he is an expert in Sanskrit, Pāḷi, and Gujarati grammar, with advanced training in classical Indian literature and linguistic analysis. His scholarship includes over thirty academic publications across these disciplines. He holds a PhD in Historical and Cultural Studies of Religion with an emphasis in Hindu Studies from the GTU, where his research concentrated on ancient Indian languages, textual traditions, and philosophical systems. He also has an MA in Buddhist Studies from the Institute of Buddhist Studies at GTU, where he focused on translating Pāḷi Buddhist scriptures in conversation with the Sanskrit Upaniṣads and their philological contexts.

 

Dr. Bohanec is the author of Bhakti Ethics, Emotions, and Love in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava
Metaethics (Lexington Books, 2024), an interdisciplinary study that brings together Hindu theology, ecotheology, ecofeminism, and feminist care ethics within a framework of bhakti-centered virtue ethics and psychology of emotion. He has served as editor for several books in Jain studies, including An Introduction to Jain Philosophy Based on the Writings and Discourses of Ācārya Sushil Kumar by Parveen Jain (DK Printworld, 2019), Contemplative Studies and Jainism (Routledge, 2024), Engaged Jainism: Critical and Constructive Studies of Jain Social Engagement (SUNY Press, 2026, co-edited with Dr. Christopher Jain Miller), and Mantra Jñāna: A Passage Through the Sūkṣma Śarīra Based on the Writings and Discourses of Ācārya Sushil Kumar (by Parveen Jain, DK Printworld, 2026). His current projects continue to explore the Jain and Vaiṣṇava traditions through close textual study, philosophical inquiry, and translation of Jain Sanskrit, Prakrit, and Gujarati texts. He is actively publishing and lecturing on topics spanning religious studies, South Asian philology, ethics, and contemplative practice in both ancient and modern contexts.

Jonathan Dickstein is the Tirthankara Shreyansanath Endowed Assistant Professor of Jain and Vegan Studies at Arihanta Institute. He received a PhD in Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2022. Jonathan's areas of research include Jain Studies, religion and ecology, comparative ethics, and South Asian religions.

Saathvik Devarakonda is a graduate student pursuing dual Master’s degrees: an MA in Philosophy at the University of Delhi and an MA in Engaged Jain Studies at the Claremont School of Theology and Arihanta Institute. His research lies at the intersection of Indian philosophy, epistemology, and philosophy of mind, with particular attention to Jain and Yoga traditions. He is especially interested in how classical Indian categories can illuminate contemporary debates in logic, metaphysics, and epistemology.

Christopher Jain Miller, the co-founder and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Arihanta Institute, completed his PhD in the Study of Religion at the University of California, Davis. He is Professor of Jain and Yoga Studies at Arihanta Institute, Visiting Researcher at the University of Zürich's Asien-Orient-Institut, and Adjunct Professor at Claremont School of Theology. Christopher's primary fields of research interest are Yoga Studies and Engaged Jain Studies, and he currently serves as the co-chair of the Yoga in Theory and Practice Unit at the American Academy of Religion as well as on the steering committees for the Dharma Academy of North America (DANAM) and the Yoga Darśana Yoga Sādhana conference. Christopher is the author of Embodying Transnational Yoga: Eating, Singing, and Breathing in Transformation (Routledge 2024) and the co-editor of Engaged Jainism: Critical and Constructive Studies of Jain Social Engagement (SUNY 2025) as well as Beacons of Dharma: Spiritual Exemplars for the Modern Age (Lexington 2020).

Ayaan Ali Siddiqui is a pioneering animal welfare advocate, educator, and legal researcher with over a decade of impact-driven work across India. He currently serves as an Honorary Animal Welfare Representative appointed by the Animal Welfare Board of India and is an Ahimsa Fellow. His interdisciplinary approach spans public policy, legal reform, education, interfaith engagement, and grassroots mobilization in an attempt to foster a justice-oriented compassionate society for all sentient beings. His advocacy is grounded in strategic collaboration with key state institutions including the Madhya Pradesh Police, Pollution Control Board, Animal Husbandry Department, and Urban Development Authorities. Ayaan played a central role in the formulation of a humane stray animal management policy for the Government of Madhya Pradesh, embedding compassion into governance frameworks. As a Law Enforcement & Policing Fellow at the Takshashila Institution, Ayaan leads research on the concomitance between crimes against animals and social deviance, bringing national attention to animal cruelty as a precursor to wider societal harm. His work pushes for the inclusion of animal cruelty in India’s national crime data as a policy priority for public safety. With over 50 workshops, lectures, and sensitization programs delivered across India, Ayaan has trained law enforcement officers, veterinary professionals, students, and civil society actors. He was recently invited as a Guest Lecturer at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore, where he spoke on Criminal Laws for Animal Protection in India. Ayaan’s efforts go beyond the legal and institutional; he is also an emerging scholar of Islamic and Jain philosophy. He actively works to reframe animal ethics within Islamic discourse, advocating for a compassionate interpretation rooted in theology, aligned with veganism and ecological consciousness.

Sohum Shah is a graduate student at the Claremont School of Theology and the Arihanta Institute, where he is pursuing a Master's in Engaged Jain Studies with a focus on its traditions, philosophy, contemplative practices, and interreligious dialogue. His work explores the intersections of theology, ethics, and lived practice - particularly through the lens of nonviolence(ahiṃsā), and the role of spiritual wisdom in addressing contemporary global challenges.

 

With a background that bridges academic research, entrepreneurial leadership, and community engagement, Sohum brings a uniquely integrative perspective to his studies. He is passionate about making classical religious ideas accessible and relevant in today's world - whether through scholarship, public writing, or dialogue across traditions. His current projects examine how concepts like karma, compassion, meditation and spiritual discipline can inform pathways to peace, sustainability, and human flourishing.
 

Beyond academia, Sohum is actively involved in community work, writing, and curating conversations that bridge ancient wisdom with modern life. His work reflects a deep commitment to both rigorous scholarship and practical application, weaving together faith, philosophy, and innovation in pursuit of a more ethical and compassionate world. https://pathwaystopeace.substack.com/

James Taylor is a graduate student in the Master of Arts in Engaged Jain Studies at Arihanta Institute and Claremont School of Theology. A dedicated vegan for over 13 years, he has devoted his life to animal advocacy and vegan outreach, volunteering at numerous shelters and sanctuaries. Drawn to Jainism—the world's oldest vegetarian community, which has practiced and promoted animal-focused vegetarianism and veganism for over two millennia—he embraces its ancient principles of non-violence and reverence for all life. Residing near Fort Worth, Texas, with his 10-year-old son and tabby cat, James enjoys fossil hunting, biking, and creating new vegan recipes.

Agni Hogaboom is a graduate student in the Master of Arts - Engaged Jain Studies program track at Claremont School of Theology and the Arihanta Institute, with a concentration in Veganism, Animals, and Ecology. A climate activist and degreed engineer, they integrate ecological awareness with spiritual practice as a Jain yoga instructor and founder of a mutualist, third-space dharma project in their community. Agni is also internationally recognized for their work as a designer and maker of custom couture, creating their wearable art in a plant-based, zero-waste studio. Their current research interests are Sanskrit, Jain ethics and karma theory, and the intersection of veganism and environmental justice. Outside of academia, Agni enjoys viewing horror films—especially through a queer lens—tending to a community garden, and sharing a peaceful, vibrant home with their partner and three cats.