Tributes paid to Nemubhai Chandaria OBE, Jain leader and community pioneer

TRIBUTES have been paid to Nemubhai Chandaria OBE, who passed away last Saturday (27) at the age of 86.

Community leaders, family and friends remembered him as a pioneering figure in the global Jain community and an advocate of faith, culture and service.

Chandaria was a founding member of the Institute of Jainology (IoJ) and served as its chairman for more than three decades.

Under his leadership, the organisation grew to be a respected international centre for Jain scholarship and interfaith dialogue. He oversaw key projects, including the cataloguing of Jain manuscripts held in the British Library and other UK institutions.

“His legacy is not only in the lives he touched personally, but in the lasting contributions he made to the world,” a statement from the institute said.

Chandaria also led the drafting of The Jain Declaration on Nature, which was presented to Prince Philip in his role as chair of the World Wide Fund for Nature. That moment resulted in Jainism being recognised as the world’s eighth global faith, the statement added.

Chandaria also played a central role in organising the Jain Art Exhibition at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, inaugurated under the patronage of Queen Elizabeth II.

He worked to enhance interfaith ties with religious leaders across the world, meeting figures such as the Pope, the Dalai Lama and the late BAPS leader, His Holiness Param Pujya Pramukh Swamiji Maharaj.

In Britain, Chandaria was instrumental in uniting 30 organisations through the OneJAIN platform, which gave the Jain community a collective voice on national and international issues.

He was awarded an OBE for his contributions to the Jain community.

Chandaria also received the OneJAIN Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024, and earlier this year was honoured with the JAINA Global Award for Jain Heritage and Literature.

A Prathna Sabha (prayer meeting) was held in his memory on Monday (29) at Oshwal Centre in London.

He is survived by his wife Meena, children Asha, Rony and Amit, and grandchildren Roan, Alyssa, Khushee, Kayan and Vyom.