Milpitas, CA: From July 25 to August 5, 2025, the Jain Center of Northern California (JCNC) celebrated a momentous dual milestone: the 25th anniversary of the Milpitas Jain Temple and 50 years of community service. The 12-days grand celebration brought together thousands in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond to honor JCNC’s spiritual, cultural, and humanitarian contributions.
The festivities featured a series of spiritual discourses, cultural programs, and religious ceremonies led by renowned Jain scholars and Vidhikars. Motivational speaker Pujya Dr. Gnanvatsal Swami, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha delivered an inspiring address to the gatherings, and Samni Niyojika Madhur Pragyaji emphasized the timeless Jain principles of Ahimsa, Aparigraha, and Anekantvaad.
Dr. K. Srikar Reddy, Consul General of India in San Francisco, served as Guest of Honor and read a special message from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who along with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Congressman Ro Khanna (D-17th District), Congressman Sam Liccardo (D-16th District), US Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and US Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), congratulated JCNC for its decades of dedicated service and praised the thriving Indian diaspora in the Bay Area.
(Photos courtesy: JCNC)
During the celebration, JCNC released a beautifully curated Souvenir Book chronicling its 50-year journey, unveiled a documentary trailer on JCNC’s history, honored its volunteers, and debuted a special 25th Anniversary Song, all followed by vibrant cultural performances.
A highlight of the celebration was the Shobha Yatra (Grand Parade), which showcased the vibrancy, values, and unity of the Bay Area Jain community. With over 300 participants, five performances, and four elaborately themed floats, the parade reflected the rich heritage of Jainism and its inclusive philosophy. The event attracted over 4,000 attendees, who lined up streets of Milpitas, including California state assemblymembers, mayors, city council members, county supervisors, and nationally prominent Jain leaders.
About Jain Center of Northern California
Jain Center of Northern California is a premier Jain institution in North America, and it was incorporated on 18 July 1981 in the State of California as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.Milpitas Jain temple is the first Anjan Shalaka Pran Pratishthit multi-tradition shikhar-bandhi Jain temple in North America. Situated in the city of Milpitas in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area, it is located approximately fifty miles southeast of San Francisco in the heart of Silicon Valley. It traces its roots to Jain Milan which was founded in 1975. JCNC is one of the founders of the Federation of Jain Associations in North America, the umbrella Jain organization of North America.
