Ahmedabad, April 12 (IANS) Monarch Group Chairman Himanshu Shah on Friday expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving a new dimension to the spiritual values ​​of the Jain community by participating in the Navkar Mahamantra Diwas programme.

Shah told IANS, "Prime Minister Modi said that the minority community has expectations from the government, but the Jain community has always been a giver. This is absolutely true. We are followers of Lord Mahavir and follow the principles of compassion, charity and ego. This is the basic purpose of life."

He said, "His (PM Modi's) speech was so profound that where we end our talk, he starts from there. The things he said on Navkar Mantra can only be said by a sadhu or an ascetic. He understood the depth of the mantra and dedicated himself to it."

Shah said that he also met the Prime Minister personally.

He added, "I told him (PM Modi) that you were not born in a Jain family, but your actions, decisions and thinking are all according to Jain principles. He replied with a smile that I have lived among the Jains, so my thinking is also the same."

Himanshu Shah thanked the Jain International Trade Organisation team for making the event a success and said that the Navkar Mantra was delivered to every home and this was the result of a collective effort.

Prime Minister Modi came and further strengthened this effort, Shah said.

Expressing his gratitude to Prime Minister Modi, Shah said, "We are grateful to him (PM Modi) that he took time out from his busy schedule to chant Navkar Mantra with us and presented the principles of Jainism before the nation. This is a proud moment for the Jain community."

PM Modi had addressed the programme organised on Navkar Mahamantra Day at the Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi. The event saw participation from prominent Jain figures, followers from across India and abroad, and millions of devotees.

The Prime Minister’s call resonates with the broader themes of cultural unity, communal goodwill, and India’s diverse spiritual traditions.

Over the years, he has often encouraged citizens to embrace practices that foster inner peace and national harmony, particularly during significant festivals or observances.