Commending the Jain community, he recalled personalities such as Dr Vikram Sarabhai, Dr DS Kothari, Dr Jagdish Chandra Jain and Dr Meenakshi Jain. “Whether in pharma, aviation or education, Jains are leading because of their disciplined and value-based life,” he said.
Though constituting just 0.5% of the population, Jains contribute around 24% of the country’s tax revenue, Rajnath Singh said. He noted Union government measures to preserve Jain heritage, including the repatriation of over 20 stolen idols of Tirthankaras and the recognition of Prakrit, the language of Jain scriptures, as a Classical Language.
The defence minister urged citizens to draw inspiration from Lord Mahavira’s teachings of non-violence, truth and Aparigraha (non-possessiveness) as India aims to become a developed nation by 2047. India’s military and economic rise, he added, is intended not to assert dominance but to protect cultural values and spiritual traditions.
Sridhar Babu said industrialists were increasingly guided by ethics, inclusivity and sustainability rather than incentives or subsidies.
“Telangana is not waiting for the future; it is building it. The state has become a hub of opportunities with a strong policy framework, robust infrastructure and investor-friendly governance,” he said. He invited business leaders to explore Telangana before finalising investments elsewhere, adding that the state’s ecosystem of innovation and efficient administration would “speak for itself.”
Sridhar Babu said combining the Jain community’s spirit of Seva (service) with Telangana’s innovation could create a model of ethical and value-driven growth. “The real unicorn is not a company valued at a billion dollars, but one that touches the lives of a billion people,” he remarked, urging entrepreneurs to focus on socially meaningful innovation.
The event was attended by Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, BJP state president Ramchander Rao and JITO representatives Rohit Kothari, Lalit Chopra, Vishal Anchalia, BL Bhandari and Sushil, among others.
