International School for Jain Studies

What International School for Jain Studies does

International School for Jain Studies (ISJS) is a non-profit educational institution operating as a division of Amar Prerana Trust, headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra, India. Founded circa 2005, ISJS is dedicated to introducing comprehensive, scholarly Jain academic studies into universities worldwide, with a stated focus on North America. Its mission centers on building a cadre of scholars well-versed in Prakrit — the Jain Agamic language — through a combination of rigorous academic curriculum and immersive lived experience, including residence in Jain hostels, Jain dietary practice, monastic interaction, and participation in rituals and pilgrimage.

ISJS delivers its curriculum through two primary programs: the Bhagwan Mahavira Prakrit Fellowship (BMPF), a 9-month residential program held at Abhay Prabhavana in Parwadi, Maval, Pune, accepting roughly 10 highly subsidized fellows per cohort; and the Online Winter Program (IWSJS), a 10-day online intensive course priced at USD 50 for overseas participants and INR 1,000 for Indian participants, targeting graduate students, PhD candidates, faculty, and professional Jains globally. Supporting the academic mission is a portfolio of scholarly publications, including the ISJS-TRANSACTIONS refereed quarterly research journal (ISSN: 2457-0583), academic books on Jainism, the Prakrit Dictionary web application (English translation of Paia-Sadda-Mahannavo with Roman transliteration), and bi-monthly newsletters.

The organization is led by Dr. Abhay Firodia (Chairman), Dr. Shugan C. Jain (President), and Dr. Shrinetra Pandey (Director), with a small team of approximately 8 employees. Revenue derives primarily from program fees, with the BMPF substantially subsidized by ISJS and JAFNA. ISJS maintains MOUs and academic collaborations with institutions including Lumbini Buddhist University (2024 MOU), Deccan College Pune, Ghent University, SOAS University of London, Georgia College and State University, and JAINA USA, and has cultivated an alumni network of 1,200+ scholars across 14+ countries.

Name

International School for Jain Studies

Legal name

International School for Jain Studies (A Division of Amar Prerana Trust)

Website

https://isjs.in

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

International School for Jain Studies (ISJS) is a Pune-based non-profit (division of Amar Prerana Trust) that delivers residential and online programs in Jain studies and Prakrit language to graduate students, scholars, faculty, and professional Jains globally, supported by publications and university partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Pune

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Revenue generated from program registration fees for online and residential Jain studies programs. The Online Winter Program charges USD 50 for overseas participants and INR 1000 for Indian participants.
2. Fellowship/Subsidized Programs: The Bhagwan Mahavira Prakrit Fellowship is highly subsidized by ISJS and JAFNA to attract talented scholars. Fellowship covers boarding, lodging and study material costs for selected candidates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

No source data was provided in the input to describe the company's core offerings.

Product overview

International School for Jain Studies (ISJS) offers a portfolio of educational programs and scholarly resources focused on Jain academic studies. The core offerings include the Bhagwan Mahavira Prakrit Fellowship (BMPF) – a 9-month residential course for advanced study of Prakrit language – and the Online Winter Program (IWSJS) – a 10-day intensive online program on Jain Philosophy. Supporting these programs are digital resources including the Prakrit Dictionary (English translation of Paia-Sadda-Mahannavo), ISJS-TRANSACTIONS research journal (ISSN: 2457-0583), books and publications, newsletters, and award programs for scholarly excellence. ISJS operates as a division of Amar Prerana Trust and implements programs through careful screening, research-based curriculum, and experiential learning living in Jain hostels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

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Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lumbini Buddhist University, NepalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024MOU signed in 2024 for academic collaboration between ISJS and Lumbini Buddhist University, Nepal. Dr. Shugan and Dr. Shrinetra Pandey visited the university to establish the partnership.
• Deccan College (Deemed to be University), PunecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership with Deccan College involving facilitation of programs, visits by VC Prof. Pramod Pandey, and collaborative scholarly activities.
• Ghent University, BelgiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelegation visits from Ghent University to ISJS. Academic exchange and collaboration in Jain studies scholarship.
• JAINA, USAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPast Presidents of JAINA (Mr. Dilip Shah and Mr. Haresh Shah) visited ISJS, indicating ongoing relationship with the major Jain organization in North America.
• Amar Prerana TrustcoreOthersISJS is a Division of Amar Prerana Trust. The trust supports the school's operations and programs including the Bhagwan Mahavira Prakrit Fellowship.
• JAFNAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJAFNA co-subsidizes the Bhagwan Mahavira Prakrit Fellowship along with ISJS to attract talented scholars for the program.
• SOAS, University of LondonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProf. Peter Flugel from SOAS, London engaged in conversations with ISJS. Historical alumni from SOAS include Dr. Ezra Rashkow.
• Mahavira Jain Vidyalaya, PuneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerISSJS program groups visit Mahavira Jain Vidyalaya for cultural activities and educational tours. Collaborative relationship for program activities.
• Acharya Samantbhadra Research Foundation, KumbhojminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerISSJS program groups visit the foundation in Kumbhoj, Kolhapur for educational and cultural activities.
• Georgia College and State University, USAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholars and students from Georgia College visited ISJS, indicating institutional collaboration.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Bhagwan Mahavir Institute of Indology: Indore-based institute dedicated to Indological research including Jain studies. Comparable peer in terms of Indic scholarly focus, though primarily serving Hindi-speaking Indian academic audiences.

Emerging players

• Ahimsa Center — California State Polytechnic University, Pomona: A North American academic center focused on Jain-inspired nonviolence studies. Overlaps with ISJS in the Jain-academic-in-Western-university niche but is more focused on peace studies than classical language.

Direct peers

• SOAS University of London — Centre for Jaina Studies: SOAS hosts a dedicated Jaina Studies department and is a recognized global hub for Jain scholarship. It is both a current ISJS partner and a peer competing for the same doctoral scholar pool and academic publishing pipeline.
• Jain Vishva Bharati Institute (JVBI): JVBI is a deemed university in Ladnun, Rajasthan, dedicated to Jain studies, Prakrit, and philosophy. It is the most direct peer to ISJS in terms of Jain academic specialization, residential program delivery, and Indic language scholarship.
• L.D. Institute of Indology: Ahmedabad-based research institute specializing in Indology, Jain manuscripts, and Prakrit studies. Directly comparable to ISJS in its focus on Jain textual scholarship and manuscript-based research.
• Institute of Jainology (UK): London-based organization promoting Jain studies in the UK academic landscape. Comparable to ISJS in its mission to embed Jain scholarship in Western universities and its publication output.
• Florida International University — Jain Studies Program: FIU hosts one of the few North American university programs specifically dedicated to Jain studies, competing for the same North American academic market that ISJS explicitly targets in its mission.

Broad incumbents

• BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha: BAPS operates a major global network of religious and educational institutions with substantial publishing, scholarship, and academic engagement around Indic traditions. It is a broader incumbent in Indic religious education that overlaps with ISJS's domain.
• Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute: A Pune-based deemed university and ISJS partner with established Indology, archaeology, and language programs. A broader academic incumbent that overlaps with ISJS on Jain studies and Sanskrit/Prakrit scholarship.

Others

• Jain eLibrary / Jain Knowledge Portal: Online Jain knowledge repository linked from ISJS's own resources page. An enabling/ecosystem peer providing digital scholarship infrastructure that complements rather than competes with ISJS's programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/international-school-for-jain-studies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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