Posted on Feb 26, 2021 in
FEATURES
By Patti Parish-Kaminski –
Dr. Nish Shah with daughter Saiysha.
When the pandemic hit last year, many found a new normal – whether that was working from home, educating their children or devoting time to a new project. Despite a hectic profession, along with being a new dad, Nish Shah, MD, CAQSM, primary care sports medicine physician at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, determined that the pandemic was the perfect time to devote his efforts to a labor of love.
“It grew out of necessity more than anything else,” shared Dr. Shah about becoming an author of a children’s book about Jainism. “There was no material out there aimed at toddlers about Jainism, which focuses on teaching our children to be as good a person as they can be. I used the time during the lockdown to spend some more time with my baby daughter, and I realized that there was a need for a children’s book, so I created my own!”
Dr. Shah explained that there is an ancient Indian religion called Jainism, whose central tenet revolves around non-violence towards others. There are 24 teachers of Jainism who have lived through history propagating the teachings of Jainism. The book is about the 24 of them. “Prior to my book, there wasn’t a single Jainism children’s book, so I wanted to create an informative book with captivating illustrations to allure the young reader.”
Jainism for Children: The 24 Founders is available for purchase on Amazon at https://bit.ly/24Founders.
And so the process to pen Jainism for Children: The 24 Founders began. Dr. Shah’s goal was to give a little background information about the 24 great spiritual leaders, or Tirthankars, of Jainism, using language and captivating illustrations that would appeal to toddlers. The spiritual leaders teach lessons such as benevolence, humility, grace, kindness, generosity, environmentalism and humanity.
“I knew who my target market was,” explained Dr. Shah. “I knew I wanted it to appeal to my daughter. There were a few resources out there on Jainism for younger adults and teens, but there are not many resources for toddlers.”
From Jainism for Children: The 24 Founders.
Being a father of a toddler, Dr. Shah had to juggle work and family time with his new project. “I would work all day, come home, spend time with my wife and daughter, and after they went to sleep, I stayed up an extra hour to work on the book,” said Dr. Shah. “It was a slow and tedious process by design so it would not take away from my other responsibilities.”
The process took a year almost to the date of his daughter’s first birthday on November 26th, a goal set by the author, who determined self-publishing was the way to go. Once the book was written, the search began for an illustrator. “I had an idea how I wanted the images to look – round faces, big eyes, soft features, vibrant colors.”
An excerpt from Jainism for Children: The 24 Founders by Dr. Nish Shah.
Dr. Shah found exactly the right person in illustrator Roberto Gonzalez, whom he met online. “I never had the opportunity to meet Roberto in person, but he was super helpful – such an amazing talent.” Author and illustrator worked after hours to complete the project.
While daughter Saiysha was an inspiration for the book, the seeds of Jainism had been planted in Dr. Shah many years prior. His mother, Niru Shah, was a spiritual role model for Dr. Shah teaching Jainism to her young son. “My mother taught me Jainsim as a way to live your life rather than a religion,” explained Dr. Shah. “She taught me to view others with kindness, humility, compassion and respect as a way of life.”
Niru Shah.
Unfortunately, Shah’s mother passed away five years ago before Saiysha was born, and Jainism for Children: The 24
Founders became a way to honor her. “This book helped me a create a way to honor my mom’s legacy and ensure that the values she passed down to me will pass down to my daughter. Through this book, my daughter can feel her presence.”
Dr. Shah’s father created a foundation in his mother’s honor after her passing. “Through my mom’s foundation – the Niru and Lalit Shah Charitable Foundation – my family and I have donated food to impoverished villagers in India, and proceeds from this book benefit that charitable mission.”
While the book’s proceeds support the Shah family’s charitable work in India, that’s just icing on the cake. The primary goals for writing the book are twofold, shared Dr. Shah. “First, when my daughter is older, I want her to know that if you put your mind to something, you can do whatever you want to do. Secondly, I wanted to honor my mom’s legacy.”
Jainism for Children: The 24 Founders is available for purchase on Amazon at https://bit.ly/24Founders.
