United States President Joe Biden has greeted the entire Jain community on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanthi. Thus he became the first US President to do so. Mahavir Jayanthis is celebrated to mark the birth of Mahavira, the founder of Jainism. Biden in a post on X said, “Jill and I wish a joyous Mahavir Jayanti to people of the Jain faith.”
Ajay Bhutoria warmly welcomed Biden’s message. He is an eminent Jain community leader and President’s Advisor on Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Commissioner. Let us all carry on the values embodied by Mahaveer Swami Murthy: seeking truth, freeing ourselves from violence and living in harmony with each other,’ Biden said in his message. He added that the world needs the teachings of Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism and urged people to follow the path of ‘Ahimsa’.
This year Mahavir Jayanthi was celebrated on April 21st, 2024. The Jain community across the globe celebrated this occasion with joy and excitement.