Acharya Shri Vijay Indradinna Suriswarji M. S.

Acharya Vijay Indradinna Surushwar Maharaj is a most respected saint of the Shwetambar Jain tradition. Born in a Parmar Kshatriya family in the village of Salpura of Vadodara district in 1923, he spent his childhood in a very religious and pious atmosphere. Unfortunately, when he was but ten years of age, he lost both his parents.

At the age of 11, he happened to visit Damoi, 22 km. away from Salpura and came in contact with Rangvijayji Maharaj. Here he received his early education in Jain dharma. From Damoi, he went to Bodeli and stayed in the hostel there till he  was 17 years old.. He was given Bhagawati diksha in 1941 in Narsanda village by Vinay - Vijayji Maharaj and became a Jain muni with the name Indravijay.

From Gujarat he travelled to Rajasthan, where he received higher diksha from Vikashchandra Suriji Maharaj in 1945. Seven years after his diksha, he left Rajasthan and came in contact with Acharya Vijay Vallabh Suriji Maharaj in Sadari Nagar, Punjab. Here began his true development and he learnt Sanskrit, Parkrit and Hindi. He was taught Agams by the Acharya and remained in his service till 1954. When, Acharya Vijay Vallabh Suriji Maharaj left for his heavenly abode, his chief disciple, Acharya Vijay Samudraji was declared as his pattadhar. Muniraj Indravijay travelled with him and was conferred the Ganipad in 1954. He now dedicated himself to propagating Jainism among the Parmar Kshatriyas with the blessings of Acharya Vijay Samudraji.

Parmar Kshatriyas were scattered through a 100km. region of Panchamahal district, in more than 700 villages. Thanks to Muniraj Indravijay's efforts, more than 70,000 Parmars accepted the Jain dharma. A few of them even chose to adopt the munipath and devoted themselves to human welfare.

In 1970, Muniraj Indravijayji was made an Acharya in Worli-Mumbai by Acharya Vijay Samudraji and became Acharya Indradinna Surishwar Maharaj. In 1977 when Acharya Vijay Samudraji left this world, Acharya Indradinna Surishwar Maharaj took complete charge of the sangh. The upliftment of his economically backward followers, became his top priority.

To this end, he has constructed a residential complex to accommodate more than 750 poor families with the help of Abhay Kumar Oswal in Ludhiana. He has also been instrumental in erecting the statue of Acharya Vijayananda Surishwarji in Shatrunjay tirtha and for renovating and developing Pavnagarh tirtha as an educational and religious center. He's also built a girls' hostel, Shri Devshri Jain Kanya Hostel. He has initiated development activities in Shri Hastinapur tirtha near Delhi and organized Vijay Samudra Indra Sahdharmi Aid Fund in Jaipur. The gigantic tasks he has accomplished are bound to help the coming generations.

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R1991