Babu Dev Kumar Jain

(1876—1908)

Genius B. Dev Kumar Jain, grand-son of scholar-zamindar Pt. Prabhu Das and son of B. Chandra Kumar Jain, was born in that rich family at Arrah. In a short lived life of 31 years he earned a good name for his dedicated religious and social services.

After the death cf his father, at the tender age of 11, he shouldered the responsibilities of the family and big zamindari. Educated and of progressive and enlightened views he was generous, simple hearted and a selfless worker. He had made it as mission of life to set up religious and educational institutions for propagation of Jain preachings and literature.

Till his death he edited Jain Gazette, started by Dig. Jain Maha Sabha in 1895. In 1905 he gave his Dharamshala on Bhadaini Ghat in Banaras, for Syadwad Pathshala which developed into Syadwad Jain Mahavidyalaya.

The same year he established Jain Sidhanta Bhavan at Arrah, a well know Jain antiquary library, which also publishes Jain Sidhanta Bhaskar and Jain Antiquary magazines in Hindi and English respectively. In 1907, he presided over the Maha Sabha Session at Kundalpur, visited,

The Jain Tirthakshetras in Southern India and made up his mind for translation and preservation of hand written Dhawal, Jai Dhawal, Maha Dhawal and other scriptures. He had taken a vpw to celebacy upto completion of that big task. He established a primary school at Arrah and a charitable dispensary at Shri Shikharji. The Govt, had appointed him hon. Magistrate.

The death of his shining younger brother Shri Dharam Kumar, husband of Chandabaiji, had much shocked him. He provided good education to widow Chandabaiji by appointing tutors to teach her Sanskrit and religion. She later set up the famous Jain Balavishram at Arrah in 1929. B. Dev Kumar had two sons, Shri Nirmal Kumar and Shri Chakreshwar Kumar. Shri Nirmal Kumar has been quite prominent in social service.