A Surat-based family of a diamond trader today became Jain monks at a ceremony organised in Sabarmati area in Ahmedabad.
Sanjay Shah (53), his wife Nitaben (49), their daughter Pooja (26) and son Darshil (24) became Jain monks and nuns at the function held under the aegis of Jain Shwetambar Murtipujak Sangh, according to its trustees.
"Sanjay Shah, who was into diamond trading in Surat, along with his entire family took 'diksha' (consecration) today. While Shah's son is pursuing chartered accountancy, his daughter Pooja is a gold medallist in B.Com," said Paresh Shah, who is associated with the Jain Sangh.
In a similar event held in Adajan area of Surat today, one Heta Shah (30), an NRI who had worked at a Canada-based MNC after completing her MS in Chemistry, became a Jain nun.
Heta will now be known as 'Hitatma Rekhashrijee', said her relative Rupesh Shah.
"Heta became a Jain nun today. She wanted to live this simple life after interacting with Jain monks in 2010 during her brief visit to India. She returned to India permanently in 2014 to study the religion before taking 'diksha'," Shah said.
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Earlier this week, a 24-year-old chartered accountant, hailing from a Mumbai-based Jain family, had embraced monkhood at a ceremony in Gandhinagar on April 20 after renouncing his family business which was reportedly over Rs 100 crore.
A day earlier, 12-year-old Bhavya Shah, son of a Surat-based diamond merchant, had embraced monkhood.