Parmanand K. Kapadia – A Martin Luther among the Jains

Summary

The article pays tribute to Paramanand K. Kapadia (also known as Paramanand Bhai), comparing him to Martin Luther for his role in modernising Jainism. It recounts his biography: Born in Bhavnagar in 1893, he became a social reformer and a fearless orator. Kapadia criticised rigid Jain customs, particularly the misuse of temple funds, superfluous rituals and practices that lacked rationale. He championed women’s education and opposed bal‑diksha (child initiation) and restrictions such as purdah, believing these were contrary to Mahavira’s teachings of equality and non‑violence. He promoted scientific outlook and rationality, arguing that truth should not be distorted by tradition. In 1929 he founded the Bombay Jain Youth Society to mobilise young Jains against superstition and social evilshttps://oswals.net/gotras/kapadia#:~:text=Gotra%20Kapadia%20is%20a%20sub,of%20Dharod. As editor of “Jain Prabudh” and later “Prabudh‑Jeevan” he used journalism to critique exploitative priests and encourage lay participation. The article summarises his speeches and campaigns across Gujarat, describing how he confronted conservative temple trusts and wealthy merchants to demand accountability and philanthropic use of temple wealth. Throughout, the narrative stresses that Kapadia embodied the spirit of reform: he was humble yet outspoken, supported by progressive Acharyas and lay people. He died on 17 April 1971https://oswals.net/gotras/kapadia#:~:text=Gotra%20Kapadia%20is%20a%20sub,of%20Dharod, just months before this issue went to print, making the article both a memorial and a call for continued reform.