Acharya Chandana

Acharya Chandana, (also Tai Maharaj, Chandanaji), belongs to the "Amarmuni Sampradaya" which—as of 2013—is the only Jainian monastic lineage to have promoted a nun to the rank of Acharya. Chandana is known for introducing the concept of "seva" ('service to humanity') among the Jain. She founded Veerayatan—a non-profit, non-governmental service organization—which, as of 2013, has centers in more than ten countries.
Early life.
Chandana was born into a Kataria Bhil family in the village of Chaskaman, Maharashtra on 26 January 1937. Her mother, Prem Kuwar, and father, Manikchand, named her Shakuntala. She took formal education till third class. Her maternal grandfather convinced her to take initiation under the Jain Sadhvi Sumati Kuwar.
At the age of fourteen she renounced the world, took Jain diksha, and became Sadhvi Chandana. She made a twelve-year vow of silence to study Jain scriptures, the meaning and purpose of life, and different religions. She obtained the degrees of Darshanacharya from Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai; Sahitya Ratna from Parayg; and a master's degree from the Pathardi Dharmik Pariksha Board. Chandana gained the title of "Shastri" in the subjects of Navya-Nyaya and Vyakaran from Banaras Hindu University. In 1972, Chandana began her humanitarian work in a poverty-stricken area in the state of Bihar, India.
Chandana became the first Jain woman to receive the title of Acharya in 1987. This remains very controversial within the Jain community.
In 1998, Chandana traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, where she offered the opening prayer at the National Federation of Asian Indians of North America convention and was honoured for her contributions to peace.
Founding of Veerayatan.
Veerayatan, a religious organization based on the principles of Jainism was founded by Chandana in 1974, in Bihar, and is an international charitable organization that seeks to create social transformation among impoverished people through spiritual development, quality education, and service to others without discriminating against caste, creed, race, or gender. Veerayatan is derived from two words:""Veer" (meaning 'of Lord Mahavira') and "aayatan"" ('holy place').
The organization was founded on the occasion of Lord Mahavira's 2500th 'Nirvana Mahotsava'. Three core focus areas of the organization are "seva" ('service to humanity'), "shiksha" ('education'), and "sadhana" ('self-development'). Veerayatan is the only Jain organization to promote the concept of "seva". It has centres in Bihar, Kutch, Maharashtra, and other places in India and USA, UK, UAE, East Africa, and Singapore.
Veerayatan operates hospitals, schools, colleges, and vocational training programs for the underprivileged throughout India. Veerayatan runs an eye hospital at Rajgir; a charitable school at Lachuar; and a BEd college at Pawapuri. In the Kutch district, Veerayatan runs two primary and one secondary educational institutions, an institute of pharmacy offering undergraduate and graduate programs, an institute of management and computer applications offering undergraduate programs, an institute of engineering, management, and research offering graduate and diploma programs.
Veerayatan initiated emergency relief camps and rehabilitation programs in the aftermath of the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat, the tsunami in 2004, during the Surat floods in 2006. and the Kosi River floods in 2008.
Other work.
An artist, Chandana has set up a museum named Shri Brahmi-Kalamandiram in Bihar which houses her artifacts and other creations. She traveled abroad to support the creation of a museum at the Leicester Jain center in the United Kingdom. Chandana founded "Divine World" in the pilgrimage town of Palitana, expounding the message of Tirthankara.