Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the centenary celebrations of Acharya Shri 108 Vidyanand Ji Maharaj on 28 June 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The year-long tribute, led by the Ministry of Culture in partnership with the Bhagwan Mahaveer Ahimsa Bharti Trust, seeks to honour the life and teachings of one of India’s most respected Jain spiritual figures.
Born in 1925 in Shedbal, Belagavi, Vidyanand Ji was a scholar, reformer, and ascetic who memorised more than 8,000 Jain Agamic verses and authored over 50 seminal works on Jain philosophy and ethics. He spent decades travelling barefoot across India, practicing rigorous austerity and meditation, while also revitalising key temples and institutions. Among his enduring contributions was his pivotal role in conceptualising the official Jain flag and Ahimsa emblem in 1975 during the 2500th Nirvana Mahotsav of Bhagwan Mahavir, a symbol embraced by all major Jain sects.
The centenary year will feature a range of cultural, literary, educational, and spiritual events across the country, highlighting Vidyanand Ji’s enduring message of non-violence, inter-sect harmony, and spiritual egalitarianism. He was instrumental in identifying Kundgram, now Basokund in Bihar, as the birthplace of Bhagwan Mahavir—a claim later recognised by the Government of India in 1956.
The inaugural ceremony will bring together prominent spiritual leaders, constitutional authorities, scholars, parliamentarians, and youth from across India. Among its highlights are a curated exhibition showcasing rare archival photographs and works of Vidyanand Ji, the release of a documentary film on his life and teachings, and the unveiling of a commemorative postage stamp and coin issued in his honour. A biographical volume chronicling his spiritual journey and reformist contributions will also be released, alongside reflections by distinguished voices and a keynote address by the Prime Minister.
Vidyanand Ji’s legacy as a teacher of Prakrit, a unifier of sects, and a champion of moral clarity continues to resonate. The centenary is not only a celebration of his life, but a reaffirmation of the values of truth, ahimsa, and discipline he so steadfastly upheld. Through this national observance, the government and Jain community alike aim to share his message with the coming generations as a vital thread in the fabric of India’s spiritual heritage.
