By Zak Khokhar
MILPITAS, Calif.: More than 300 people, including spiritual leaders, technology executives, entrepreneurs, investors and young professionals, attended the four-day Young Jain Professionals (YJP) Convention 2026, which concluded here on Oct. 12.
Held at the Embassy Suites under the theme “Reinventing Your Wheel,” the convention brought together participants to explore innovation, career development, networking and Jain philosophy. The program featured keynote addresses, technology discussions, professional development workshops, cultural performances and a startup pitch competition, according to the official program guide.
YJP is an initiative of the Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA), an umbrella organization dedicated to preserving, practicing and promoting Jain religious values and the Jain way of life.
The gathering drew prominent speakers from the fields of philanthropy, technology and investment, including Dr. Jasvant Modi, a leading Jain philanthropist and driving force behind the establishment of Jain academic chairs worldwide; Kanwal Rekhi, a pioneering Silicon Valley investor; Arvind Jain, founder and CEO of Glean; Rajen Sheth, chairman of Boardwalk Development Group; and Deep Nishar, former managing director at General Catalyst.
Jain spiritual leaders, including Rushiji Hem Vijay Maharaj and Dr. Arun Vijay Maharaj, also addressed the gathering, underscoring the convention’s emphasis on integrating professional growth with Jain spiritual traditions and principles.
Sunny Jain, a project manager at Goldman Sachs in Dallas, described the convention as an opportunity for Jain professionals from across the United States and Canada to connect, exchange ideas and support one another’s professional growth.
“[It] has been an incredible forum to bring Jains across the nation United States and Canada to come together in a place where we can connect with like-minded people, learn about Jain values, connect on a professional level, how can we leverage mentorship, leverage our contact and be able to help each other grow in this community,” he said.
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Jain, who served on the organization’s board in 2018 and 2019, told The American Bazaar that the convention offered valuable opportunities to learn from accomplished members of the community.
He said he attended “some incredible session” and listened “to some great leaders and speakers in our community that have succeeded and are willing to share that wisdom with others in our community.”
Technology and entrepreneurship
Technology and innovation figured prominently in the convention’s program, reflecting the growing influence of Jain professionals in Silicon Valley and other technology hubs.
A panel titled “TECHnically Speaking” explored emerging trends and developments in the technology sector. Panelists included Anand Oswal, executive vice president and general manager of AI and network security at Palo Alto Networks; Lavina Kavediya, a product leader specializing in consumer AI and retail technology; and Dr. Nikunj Mehta, founder and CEO of Falkonry.
The discussion covered a range of topics, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, consumer technology, industrial Internet of Things (IoT) applications and machine learning.
Entrepreneurship was another major focus, highlighted by the YJP Shark Tank pitch competition on Oct. 11. The top three winners received cash prizes of $5,001, $2,501 and $1,501, respectively.
Prithvion, founded by plant scientist Aishwarya Kothari, won the competition. The company is developing a biology-aware disease prediction platform that forecasts fungal disease risk up to seven days before symptoms appear. By integrating pathogen kinetics, host crop phenology and hyperlocal microclimate data, the platform aims to help growers determine when the risk of disease warrants spraying and when treatment can be skipped.
Kothari, who has a background in synthetic biology and cellular agriculture, founded Prithvion to address the gap between growers’ needs and the capabilities of generic agricultural technology tools.
The judging panel included Sahil Kothari, an entrepreneur, investor and mentor; Mansi Shah, a law partner and technology investor; Deep Nishar; Pranjal Daga, founder of Accend and a participant in Y Combinator’s Summer 2023 cohort; and Priyanka Shah, a life sciences portfolio lead and venture adviser.
Professional development and Jain philosophy
Beyond technology and entrepreneurship, the convention placed considerable emphasis on personal growth and professional development, with two sets of breakout sessions designed to encourage participants to reflect on their careers and broaden their perspectives.
The Oct. 10 workshop, titled “Re-Calibrating…,” explored Jain philosophical concepts such as karma and rebirth, alongside topics including creative expression, personal identity, confidence and improvisation. The sessions sought to connect philosophical reflection with professional and personal development.
A second workshop, “Circling Back Forward,” held on October 11, covered a wide range of topics, from agentic and physical AI to venture capital, decision-making and Ayurveda.
One session examined Anekantavada, the Jain principle of multiple perspectives, and how it could be applied to identifying investment opportunities in venture capital.
Other sessions explored what makes startups attractive to investors and how Jain values can guide decisions involving business strategy and environmental impact.
The program also included a structured networking initiative titled “Chain Reaction,” designed to connect attendees with potential mentors and industry leaders through guided discussions and speed-networking sessions.
Cultural celebrations
Alongside its professional development sessions, the convention offered cultural and social events that brought participants together outside formal discussions.
The opening evening featured “Pacific Coast Hungama,” a talent show showcasing music and entertainment. Saturday’s festivities included “Raas in the Redwoods,” a Garba Night celebration, while the closing evening featured the “Golden State Gala.”
Shikha Kothari, an adviser to Young Jain Professionals, highlighted the diversity of talent on display.
“It’s very cool to see the people who are poets, we had from different angles, and we had some beautiful classical pieces, [and] we had fusion pieces,” she said.
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Featured performers included Jai Loonker, a dancer, choreographer and engineer, and Priya Puram, an Indian American stand-up comedian and product manager based in San Francisco.
For Apeksha Shah, an Orange, California, resident who immigrated to the United States from Godhra, Gujarat, Garba Night was among the convention’s highlights.
“It was very amazing,” she said.
Shah particularly enjoyed the opportunity to celebrate with participants who had come from different parts of India, including Mumbai and Gujarat.
Plant-based dining
Food was another highlight of the convention, which served a plant-based Jain menu throughout the four days, offering participants a variety of Indian and international dishes.
The selections included poha and chia pudding for breakfast, a Mexican-themed lunch, an Indo-Chinese dinner, pani puri, corn chaat, Mediterranean falafel and Thai cuisine.
Priyanka Chordia, founder of D’Deco Jewels, who oversaw the planning and coordination of more than 13 meals and snacks during the convention, said the organizers wanted to use the event to promote greater awareness of vegan food.
“Last year we had decided that, in our convention, we will emphasize the importance of vegan food along with Jain food,” she said.
“Through this journey, we realized that many people are not aware of veganism and how to prepare vegan food at home. Through the convention, our aim was to not only feed people but to raise awareness that you can do all cuisines and all dishes vegan.”
Chordia, who is based in New York, said coordinating the food arrangements for a convention in the San Francisco Bay Area presented logistical challenges. However, working with Hasmukh and Kavita Patel of Utsav Kitchen, the team managed to serve 13 meals over four days without repeating dishes.
The menu spanned Indian, Mexican, Mediterranean, Indo-Chinese and Thai cuisines, along with a wide selection of desserts, including vegan falooda.
For Sunny Jain, a Dallas resident, the food was among the most memorable aspects of the gathering.
“My highlights have been the food,” he said. “I think the food has been absolutely incredible. It’s been a you know fully plant-based and you know being able to eat everything and it’s been absolutely delicious.”
The convention concluded on October 12 with a closing ceremony and lunch, followed by a visit to the Jain Center of Northern California.
The convention concluded on Oct. 12 with a closing ceremony and lunch, followed by a visit to the Jain Center of Northern California.
(Jayujyoti Mullik contributed to this report.)