RENOUNCING (An empire reportedly worth Rs. 1,000 crores) PLASTIC WORLD TO EMBRACE THE ETERNAL - By Ojas Mehta (Edited excerpt)
http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/ahme...-embrace-the-eternal/articleshow/46938122.cms
(A person renouncing the world is not new. However, when it happens at a pinnacle of worldly success, that is sure something worth talking about. Bhanwarlal Raghunath Doshi is one such person who having built an empire reportedly worth Rs. 1,000 crores, is renouncing it - though ofcourse leaving much of the wealth in the hands of his children apart from the funds used for charity. Among the Jains, there have been a few similar cases before. A few months back - there was news about a young Jain woman working for a top fashion house in New York doing the same...... Also related would be to note the act of Rahul Yadav, CEO of Housing.com, who at the young age of 26, gave away his over 200 crore worth of shares to his employees)
It is rare that a person who has worked hard to make his millions throws it in favour of the path of God and salvation. But Bhanwarlal Raghunath Doshi (58), son of a small time textile trader from Shivranj in Rajasthan who rose to become the king of plastic raw material trade in Delhi, was never cut out to be ordinary. On May 31, the chairman of DR International Pvt Ltd and head of several organisations will renounce his worldly possessions to take diksha.
In one of the biggest events of its kind in the city, the diksha will be given in the presence of 61 Jain acharyas and 1,000 Jain sadhus and sadhvis besides industrialists and NRIs at Ahmedabad Education Society ground on Drive-In Road on May 31. Doshi is the chairman of a Rs 350-crore company. Sources say his market worth is Rs 1,000 crore though his son Rohit (33) says the figure is grossly exaggerated.
"It is after a very long time that someone of his stature is taking diksha. This is very special as he has money and family. He is the president of 18 organistions. Taking diskha is not easy. He cannot cut his hair, he has to pull it off his head and walk without footwear. A Jain muni's life is like that of conch shell that cannot be painted by any other colour," Diksha Daneshwari Gunratna Surishwarji Maharaj, who will be giving the Diksha and accepting him as his disciple, told Mirror. Another muni at Giridharnagagar Shwetambar Jain Derasar told Mirror that lakhs or people are expected to attend the diksha ceremony. Surishwarji Maharaj has already given diskha to 352 people.
SMALL-TIME TRADER'S SON TO KING OF PLASTICS
After completing B.Com from Sirohi in 1978, Doshi took up employment at various places, including Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi, the last being with his wife's maternal uncle. After working with him for seven to eight months Doshi decided to venture out on his own. He rejected his father's offer to handle the textile trading business back in Rajasthan and instead with a capital of Rs 30,000 borrowed from his father started his own plastic trading business in Delhi. "It was one of the toughest periods of his life. He had begun in the same year that I was born. He used to cook his food and clean his own clothes and vessels. He has been through the rough and seen several ups and downs in the business before he tasted success," Rohit said.
"But he has always been a resolute man and a visionary. When he delved into the plastic trade he had decided to be at the top of the industry. Now that he has decided to give it up and follow the path of God, he will do it," Rohit added. 'Salvation, the real path' Doshi wanted to become a chartered accountant but could not study further as the responsibility of earning for his family fell on him. His two sons, Mayur (35) and Rohit have MBAs from the UK. Daughter Tina (36), too, is a postgraduate. "But he believes even our study is of no use and the only real path is the path of moksha (salvation)," Rohit said.
THE CALLING
Doshi was always religiously inclined and used to visit Jain temples across the country. Most of his charity was for the religion. At some point, he wanted to renounce the worldly pleasures and seek diksha. "He would have taken diksha three years ago but the family stopped him then. It is always tough when the head of the family wants to seek diksha. It took three years for him to convince us. We are proud of him. The honour and respect that he got when he announced his decision is something that can only be seen to be believed," the proud son said.
I COULD WAIT NO LONGER: DOSHI
Lack of knowledge makes men chase worldly pleasures. People want to make money to live a good life and enjoy its pleasures like good food and sex. Mrityu ke baad ka chintan koi nahi karta (no one thinks beyond this life). I was fortunate to be in touch with many Jain priests. I wanted to take diksha way back in 1982. I had the inclination but lacked the experience. The feeling only intensified during the last eight years. I could not wait any longer.
ON CONVINCING THE FAMILY
When the light of knowledge touches you it touches the entire family. It was not very difficult to convince my family.
