Convention Board 2019

Mahesh Wadher Convener

Mahesh Wadher is a businessman and non-profit professional. He is the Founder and CEO of AMTEX, CEO of Shiv Shakti Industries and CEO of Axis Global Solutions. He has been involved with non-profit organizations for over the past decade. Currently, he is the Board of Director at Jain Center of Southern California, First VP of the JAINA, Chair of Jain Digest Committee, President of Anekant Community Center, Trustee of SRMD-USA, Trustee of Gujarati Society of Southern California, and Convener of the JAINA 2019 Convention. He also has the honor of being a donor for the Endowed Chair & Professorship on Jainism at UC Riverside. Through education, community engagement and outreach, he has an interest in promoting Jainism and its ideals in today’s modern world.

Dr. Jasvant Modi Co-Convener

Dr. Jasvant Modi is a retired physician, entrepreneur, activist and is the current President of Jain Center of Southern California (JCSC). He has been instrumental in the push to make JCSC the first Vegan Jain Center.

Dr. Nitin Shah Co-Convener

Dr. Nitin Shah is a Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at Loma Linda University and is Chief of Surgical ICU at Long Beach Veterans Hospital in CA. He is a past President of Jain Center of Southern California, the Founding President of Anekant Community Center and the past Co-Convener of the 2009 JAINA Convention. He is current Chairman of the 2019 JAINA Awards Committee. He is involved in many Philanthropic activities in medicine, education, and other services around the world. He has been involved in Health and Wellness of members of JCSC and is chair of the Wellness Committee of JAINA. He has been coordinating establishment of Chairs and Professorships in various mainstream University in Southern California.

Haresh Shah

content here

Atul Shah

Atul Shah currently serves as Chairman in the Chicago Sangh and Treasure on the JAINA Board. He has previously served as President, Secretary and Membership Secretary in the Chicago Sangh. He has been an active volunteer in past JAINA conventions, serving as Lead for Youth Activities at the 2017 JAINA Convention, and Food Chair during the 2015 JAINA Convention. Mr. Shah has also been an integral part of JSMC fundraising efforts and creating a united team in the Chicago Sangh.

Dharmi Shah

Dharmi Shah is a fourth-year pharmacy student at the University of Illinois at Chicago and originally from Dothan, Alabama. She enjoys being a foodie, practicing yoga, hanging out with her friends, and lounging in various coffee shops. She has been involved with Young Jains of America by serving as a Local Representative for a few years, Director of Events (2016-2017), and as one of the Executive Board Co-Chairs (2017-2018). She is very excited to be part of the 2019 JAINA Convention Board and to organize eventful youth activities and sessions for this Convention!

Gunvant Shah

Gunvant Shah, JAINA President, has been associated with JAINA since past 14 years and has served as Chairperson to various JAINA committees, JAINA Director, Treasurer, and First VP. He is also a retired Professor, Business Owner, and Real Estate Investor & Developer. He is a self-motivated and result-oriented person. His goals as JAINA President are to make 2019 JAINA Convention one of the most memorable, enjoyable, and successful, JAINA financially strong, work closely with JAINA Directors on the activities that could benefit JAINA and Jain Centers, reach out to our future generations, establish college scholarship for Jain graduate students and work with YJA, YJP, Jain Centers and other organizations to make JAINA truly a global organization.

Dr. Jayesh Shah

Dr. Jayesh Shah has been active member of the Jain Community in Southern California, serving various leadership positions. He has been the past president of the Jain Center of Southern California (2010-2013), past JAINA Regional VP to the West, current JAINA Director. He has also serve as the Chair to JAINA’s Fundraising and Liaison Committees as well as been a member of the JAINA Long Range Planning Committee. Professionally Dr. Jayesh Shah is the Chief of Staff at the Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, California. He has also been the founder and served as president of APPA/IPA.

Mahendra Jain

Komal Shah

Komal Shah is a software engineer, dance teacher, and philanthropist. As the Co-Chair for YJP, she is looking forward to helping create a centralized networking platform that can be used by Jains young and old. Besides YJP, she is an active member of various Jain related groups. She is one the Executive Board Co-Chairs of YJP (2017-2018), board member of JITO – SF, youth leader of JYEP, and active member of JCNC. Along with her Jain activities, she is very passionate about dancing and teaches dance as a way to help others express themselves and free themselves from any stress or tension they may have. In her free time, she loves to explore new places, try new food, and go on adventures.

Manish Mehta

Dr. Manish Mehta is an active member of the Jain Society of Greater Detroit and a JAINA Director since 2004. He is a mechanical engineer with a graduate degree in industrial engineering, and manages research collaborations in sustainability technologies. He chairs the JAINA Diaspora Committee, is part of JAINA Long-Range Planning Committee. He is a Past President of Rotary Club of Ann Arbor North, and volunteered on polio eradication campaigns in India. He was awarded Friend of Hindu-American Foundation (2014), and Rotary International District’s Humanitarian of the Year (2015). He is a Fellow of three engineering societies. He and wife Dr. Varsha Mehta live in Ann Arbor, MI, and have two adult sons, Anshul and Vishal.

Prafulla Shah

Prafulla Shah, currently Board of Director at Jain Center of Southern California, has been involved with the Jain Center since its inception. Prafulla is involved in various charities and social work in the Jain Center and with other organizations including community centers, children’s schools, hospitals, and charitable trusts. She actively participates as a hospice volunteer in Orange County. Additionally, she helped establish the Tender Care Community Outreach Program (“TCCOP”). She has a MBA from Michigan.

Puja Savla

Puja Savla is currently a Biology and Chemistry teacher at El Camino Charter High School. She is an avid LA sports fan. She spends time with family and friends, and enjoys playing board games and taking bike rides down the Pacific Coast. She also spends time relaxing by drawing, painting, and decorating her bullet journal. She is also been vegan for over 5 years and loves trying new vegan restaurants in LA and when travelling. She has been an active part of her local Jain Community as a past pathshala teacher at Jain Center of Southern California (JCSC) and in the National Jain Community as the West Regional Coordinator (2014-2015) and one of the Executive Board Co-Chairs (2015-2016) for the 2016 Young Jains of America (YJA) convention in LA.

Rajeev Pandya

Mr. Rajeev Pandya is a Partner and Cofounder of ASHI Diamonds & Avalon Solution, a Fine Diamond Jewelry Manufacturer and E-commerce Software company based out of New York. He is a graduate of the New York University – Stern Business School and serves on the Board and Treasurer of JITO USA, Chairperson of JITO USA – New York Chapter, Treasurer and Board of IDCA – Indian Diamond Color Stone Association, Secretary of RANA – Rajasthan Association of North America, New York Coordinator for JYEP – The JITO / JAINA Jain Youth Exchange Program, and the YJP Advisory Board. Mr. Pandya is a Benefactor Trustee of the Jain Center of America and has previously chaired the JAINA Calendar Committee and served as the North East Regional VP of JAINA.

Rajesh Shah

Rajesh Shah is an Engineer by education and owner of a Wholesale Diamond Company in LA. Also, he is the current President of the upcoming Jain Temple of Los Angeles and Board member at Jain Center of Southern California. His passion in Jainism has allowed him to be involved in some philanthropic activities including being a co-sponsor of the Shri Parshvanath Presidential Chair of Jain Study at the University of California, Irvine. He has been vegan since 2007 and loves to help others. He is also a big follower of yoga, reading and meditation. He is excited for the JAINA Convention 2019 looking forward to helping bring Jainism and its vast offerings to the community.

Sameer Shah

Sameer Shah has been a part of Jain Center of Southern California (JCSC) community for almost three decades. Currently, he is serving as an Executive Committee member at the JCSC. As a young adult, Sameer served as a director for the 2000 YJA (Young Jains of America) Convention in Los Angeles. He currently serves on the JCSC phase 2 and 3 planning committee. Spiritually, he was part of the group that formed the Young Jain Adults Swadhyay group at JCSC. Professionally, he has an executive MBA from Pepperdine University. He owns two businesses and has experience holding various leadership roles for Fortune 500 firms. Sameer’s goal is to devote my time, experience and skills to help successfully conduct 2019 JAINA convention.

Yogesh Shah

Yogesh Shah is a well respected and jovial community member and an active member of the Jain Center of Southern California (JCSC). Over the years he considered the Southern California Sangh as a part of his extended family and has served as part of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors and Vice President of JCSC. He has also been an integral part of acquiring real estate, construction and fundraising for JCSC over the past 38 years. Mr. Shah has been a founding member of JAINA and a member of the 1st ever JAINA Convention Committee in Los Angeles, CA. He also was extremely involved in the planning of the 2009 JAINA Convention, especially with the Fundraising Committee.

Dhimen Vora – JAINA IT Manager

Dhimen Vora is a CEO and Co-Founder of a Software development company Arham Technosoft Private Limited, India. He serves as the IT manager for JAINA since 2015, by managing all content found on the JAINA website as well as creating the informative weekly JAINA Newsletters. Professionally, Mr. Vora has had 15+ years of experience in the IT industry, including managing various JAINA portals such as JAINA Convention 2019 Website, Jain Milan Website, JAINA Calendar Website, and JAINA Mangalam 24×7 mobile app.