Spiritual leader Dada JP Vaswani dies
PUNE: Spiritual leader Jashan Pahlajrai Vaswani, popularly known as ‘Dada JP Vaswani’ died at his abode in Sadhu Vaswani Mission here on Thursday morning, just 21 days before his 100th birthday on August 2.
The Mission in a tweet, said, “0901hrs IST July 12 2018, on sacred Guruvaar day, our Beloved Revered Dada J.P. Vaswani passes on, from the seen to the unseen. Ever-loving, evergiving, may he continue to bless us from the beyond.”
Blessed with a beatific smile and a sharp, agile mind throughout his life, Dada Vaswani was admitted to a citybased private hospital a few days ago and was discharged on Wednesday night. Known for his ardent promotion of vegetarianism and animal rights, his mortal remains will be kept at the Mission till 2pm tomorrow for followers to pay their last respect.
The Mission was planning a grand celebration on Vaswani’s 100th birthday in August when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to attend. Expressing his condolences, Prime Minister Modi shared a photo with the spiritual leader and tweeted, “I am saddened beyond words on the passing away of Dada JP Vaswani. He lived for society and served the poor and needy with compassion. Blessed with immense wisdom, he was passionate about educating the girl child, cleanliness and furthering peace as well as brotherhood.”
Born to Pahlajrai and Krishnadevi Vaswani on August 2, 1918, in Hyderabad in Pakistan’s Sindh province, Dada was one of seven siblings, with three sisters and four brothers. His father worked as a supervisor of all primary schools in Karachi, while his mother was one of the first few women to have benefited from some English education in those days.
He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Science at the age of 17 and published a thesis on ‘The scattering of X-rays by Solids, which was examined by Nobel laureate CV Raman. However, later on, Dada Vaswani was inspired by his uncle and spiritual guru Sadhu TL Vaswani and devoted his life for the work of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission.
He wrote over 150 books on spirituality and self-help and was invited to speak at numerous venues including the British House of Commons, Global Forum of Spiritual Leaders in Oxford, World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, and the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders at the United Nations.