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Endowed Faculty Chairs

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The Shrimad Rajchandra Endowed Chair in Jain Studies 

The Shrimad Rajchandra Endowed Chair in Jain Studies was made possible by generous donations from Dr. Jasvant Modi and Dr. Meera Modi, Mr. Mahesh Wadher and Mrs. Usha Wadher, Mr. Vijay Chheda and Mrs. Madhu Chheda, and other members of the Jain Center of Southern California, Jain Center of Los Angeles, and Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur (USA). Established in 2017, commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of the Jain spiritual teacher and reformer Shrimad Rajchandra, the Chair’s mission is to pursue critical scholarly research of Jainism and advance its study at UCR. Dr. Ana Bajželj was appointed to the Chair in 2018.

The Holstein Family and Community Endowed Chair

The Holstein Family and Community Chair in Religious Studies is an Endowed Faculty Chair, the result of a generous contribution given by The Robert and Loretta Holstein Family and by friends of the Holstein Family and the University. Dr. Melissa M. Wilcox currently holds this chair. For more information on Holstein projects, please follow the link above.

The Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Endowed Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies

The Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Endowed Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies is the result of a generous contribution given by the Saini Foundation, the Sikh Foundation and by a number of individuals and the University. It honors the memory of the late Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini, who was a cardiologist in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Pashaura Singh has been appointed to the Chair and is a leading scholar and teacher whose work in the field of Adi Granth studies is internationally acclaimed. For more information on the Endowed Chair, please click here.

The Maimonides Chair in Jewish Studies

The Maimonides Chair was established in 2014 with support from nearly three dozen individuals, foundations, and organizations to fund research and other activities aimed at fostering a better understanding of Judaism and the history and heritage of Jewish people. The chair is named for Moses Maimonides, a Spanish Sephardic Jew born in Córdoba, Spain, in 1135, who was a rabbi, scholar, philosopher, astronomer, and physician in medieval Spain and Egypt.