29-year-old IIT-Bombay grad gives up job, family for 'diksha'

MUMBAI: For 29-year-old Sanket Parekh, a chemical engineer from IIT Bombay, life was all about targets and achievements. He had a well-paying job and was planning a post graduation course in the United States. But an online chat with his senior changed everything. Now he is one of the 16 people taking diksha in a grand ceremony in Borivli, Mumbai, on January 22.

Parekh, who belongs to a Vaishnav family, was initiated into Jainism by his senior from IIT, Bhavik Shah, who also took diksha in 2013.

“I was an atheist,” said Parekh. “I would have got everything if I had decided to have a career, but my inner self would never have been at peace like it is today,” Parekh added.

Parekh said: “I was chatting with Bhavik. Since I was in my final year, it was a normal chat, about what next for us. I don’t know how the conversation veered towards the concept of soul. It was the first time I was thinking about soul, mind and body. That was the trigger and I went deeper with my search and began reading more about Jainism.” Now, Parekh will leave behind all his gadgets, including the computer he used to chat with his friend.

He studied for two and a half years under Acharya Yugbhushansurji to learn rituals and other basics.