Thursday

Pierre Amiel

Pierre Paul Amiel is born in PARIS, the 28th of September 1931. At the World War II, he went with his parents in the South of France at ALBI where his mother's family was originated. ALBI is worldwide known as the fatherland of the great painter TOULOUSE-LAUTREC, the great sailor LA PEROUSE, its huge cathedra1 in red bricks, the cruisade of Christians against heretics called "Albigeois"...

After brilliant studies at ALBI, Pierre went to the University of TOULOUSE to study Law. He his Master in Law and has a High Certificate of Local Government Administration.
After having been Deputy Chief Executive of MELUN in the South of PARIS, he became Chief Executive of BEAUVAIS a town twinned with MAIDSTONE ( Kent ) and after of the Great District of METZ, the chief-town of Region LORRAINE.

Passionate by INDIA and Yoga practice, he learned the existence of Jainism by his master of Yoga (a Brahman}.He established links with Shri Satish Kuma Jain, Secretary Genera1 of "Ahimsa Tnternationa1" in DELHI who initiated him to the tenets of Jainism and who sent him "Ahima Voice" a quarterly very well done and numerous books on Jainism in English he translated and was greatly impressed by. He established links with Dr. Bhuvenendra Kumar in CANADA who invited him with his wife to the JAIN A Convention in PITTSBURGH in 1993. Here; he was greatly impressed by the kindness of participants and by a11 the speaches on Jainism. It is on that occasion he made acquaintance with Dr Sulekh Jain and since they I became great friends. Absolutely conquered by this faith, he studidany books and reviews, took part to Jain meetings in LONDON, made acquaintance with Atul Shah, Alkit Malde and many other Jains who became in regular contacts with him.

Seeing that Jainism is totally ignored by common people in France, he made acquaintance with great Scholars/Madame Colette CAILLAT and Madame Nalini Balbir,and decided with their help and that of Dr Sulekh Jain to publish in 1998 his translations into Franch of "Lord MAHAVIRA" by Book CHAND and in 1999 of " Aspects of Jaina religion" by Dr.Vilas Sangave.

Being now retired in NICE, Pierre Amiel decided to study sanscrit and hindi and to publish a book into French on "Jains in the world today". He spent many time to co11ect matter, bought a computer and pub1ished the book in 2003 with the help of Madame CAILLAT, Nathubai Shah, Dr Sulekh Jain and Alkit Malde.
Pierre Amiel has contributed to the launching of "Jain Spirit' and written various articles on Jainism in French magazines, such as'' Actualite des Religions" and "Yoga et Vie". He afforded too his he1p to the translation into French of many chapters of the site web "Jainworld". He has a huge collection of books, magazines and copies of Jain sites in English and possesses a home caitya with Parshva, Mahavira and many. Jain artifacts. Now, he works on the translation of his book into English with the help of Alkit Malde and prepare an article on "Jaina Yoga".

Pierre Amiel is Chevalier de la Legion of Honour (the highest decoration in France), Officer of French National Merit, Officer of "Palmes Academiques" '(a medal for his great contribution to training of Local Government Employees and Officers). He has also the Golden Medal of Local and Regional Administration and of Trade Unions as past President of a European Union with NALGO and other apolitical unions.

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