About Ahimsa End Gun Violence

Our Mission

Ahimsa End Gun violence was envisioned by Dr. Shailendra Palvia, Dr. Amod Surekha and Vaisheshi Jalajam. The organization was started on April 18, 2023 and registered in June 2023 as a Georgia Non Profit.
Ahimsa is dedicated to addressing the pain and loss that result directly from access to assault-style weapons and the indiscriminate ownership of guns.
We choose to be Single-Issue Voters. Our mission is to forge bonds among all religious groups and community organizations toward the noble pursuit of curbing the epidemic of gun violence in our country.
We are committed to educating young people about the history and evolution of gun violence, which has been significantly exacerbated by misinterpretations of the Second Amendment.
Our youth are learning how to use Ahimsa Activism, Peaceful Protests, and Petitions to bring about change by convincing Congress to enact and enforce laws that save human lives.
We are committed to promoting voting on the Single Issue of Ending Gun Violence.

Core Members of Our Organization

Chief Executive & Education Officer (CEEO)

Dr. Shailendra Palvia is a Professor Emeritus of Management Information Systems (MIS) at Long Island University (LIU) Post. At LIU, he served as the Director of the Management Information Systems program from 1997 to 2004. He holds a Ph.D. and an M.B.A. from the University of Minnesota, and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi, India.

Dr. Palvia has published over 150 refereed articles in academic journals, conference proceedings, and books. As the Founding Editor and later Editor, he edited the Journal of IT Case and Application Research (JITCAR) from 1999 to 2007, and again from 2014 to 2020. Between 2002 and 2013, he organized and chaired eleven annual international smart-sourcing conferences (https://www.outsourceglobal.org) held in the USA, India, and South Korea. In 2012 and again in 2016,

Dr. Palvia was nominated by LIU Post for the Abraham Krasnoff Lifetime Scholarly Achievement Award. He was also a Fulbright-Nehru Senior Research Scholar during 2016-17. Additionally, he has been an invited speaker in Germany, India, Italy, Russia, Singapore, and Thailand.

Dr. Palvia is a dedicated follower of Jainism and has attended several biannual JAINA (Federation of Jain Associations in North America) conventions and annual JAANA (Jain Adhyatmik Academy of North America) workshops organized in various U.S. cities since 1990.

Contributions and Achievements

He has been an active member of Jain societies in Boston (1985-1995), New York (1995-2006), New Jersey (2006-2021), and currently in Atlanta (2021-present).
He has delivered presentations on Jainism in Boston (sometime between 1988 and 1992) and at Hofstra University, NY (sometime between 2000 and 2003).
Dr. Palvia and his wife, Rajkumari, have made regular donations to JAANA to support the teaching of Jain Fundamentals at the Pandit Todarmal Smarak Trust in Jaipur, India; Shashwat Dham in Udaipur; Satpath Marg in Nagpur; and similar schools in Banswara and Kota.
He was a speaker on Jainism at a multi-faith celebration in Hicksville, NJ, in July 2018. His speech was published in the second issue of the One World Under God monthly periodical in 2018.
Dr. Palvia also represented Jainism at the Swami Vivekanand celebration during the All Religions Harmony program, organized by the Vedanta Society in New York City, NY, in the last quarter of 2018.
He published an article on the Jain philosophy of Sallekhana in the South Asian Times in 2019.
In June 2020, he established the Dr. Shailendra Palvia Endowed Jain Scholar Speaker Series ($30K) at Long Island University Post. Six excellent seminars were held under this endowment, covering topics such as Ahimsa, Anekantwad, Veganism, and Aparigrah.
Dr. Palvia and his wife, Rajkumari, donated $25K to the University of Connecticut Foundation in January 2021 to establish the Bhagwan Neminath Endowment for Jain Studies.
In January 2022, they donated $25K to JAINA to establish a JAINA school at Veerayatan in Bihar, India.
They contributed 5 lakh rupees to Mahavir International in India to facilitate cataract surgeries for the poor and disadvantaged from 2022 to 2025.
In January 2023, Dr. Palvia and his wife donated a quarter of a million dollars to Georgia College and State University (GCSU), Milledgeville, GA, to establish the Veetraag Vigyaan Professorship in Jain Studies.
Dr. Palvia is the co-founder and currently the CEO of the organization AHIMSA END GUN VIOLENCE, whose primary mission is to educate youth about the dangers of gun violence in America and to organize Ahimsa activism events aimed at ending the epidemic of gun violence in the country.

Dr. Palvia can be reached through e-mail: shailoo.palvia@gmail.com

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Mrs. Vai Jalajam is a seasoned leader with a track record of driving transformational solutions across finance, insurance, and technology. Currently serving as a Vice President at a financial firm, she is responsible for deploying large scale projects that enhance operational efficiency and scalability.

Beyond her corporate role, Vai is a passionate community advocate and political organizer. She co-founded Ahimsa-End Gun Violence, an organization dedicated to educating students on the principles of nonviolence and mobilizing South Asians into a single-issue voting bloc against gun violence.

Vai is also deeply engaged in political action. She serves on the leadership board of Desis for Democracy (D4D), working to mobilize AAPI voters for progressive causes. Additionally, she co-founded SATYA (Truth), an organization that has produced multilingual voter education materials in over 12 South Asian languages. She has actively campaigned for candidates such as Stacey Abrams, Raphael Warnock, Jon Ossoff, Nabilah Islam, and Michelle Au, organizing door-knocking campaigns, phone banking, and large-scale voter engagement events.

A skilled persuader, Vai believes in long-term engagement and strategic compromise to drive social change. Her ability to foster meaningful conversations has even convinced staunch conservative voters to reconsider their political choices. She is also a strong advocate for women’s rights, actively participating in Women’s March protests and roadshows to support reproductive freedom and gender equity.

Residing in Duluth, Georgia with her husband Raj Janumpally and daughter Saankhya, Vai continues to lead with purpose, bridging the worlds of technology, advocacy, and political activism to create lasting impact.

Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Mr. Vyom Jain - As an engineer, leverages technology to enhance efficiency rather than be consumed by it. His career began with designing software systems to optimize cellular networks, collaborating with global providers to solve their challenges. He later transitioned to the education sector, where He provides technical solutions, implements processes, and mentors engineers to improve quality, reduce costs, and drive operational efficiency, all while enhancing the end-user experience.

Driven by a passion for problem-solving, he seamlessly integrates Jain principles (Ahimsa, Syad, Anekant, Nay) into his approach, a perspective deeply influenced by the wisdom of his grandfather, uncle, and parents. Their insights, much like those found in www.hira-pub.org, have instilled in him a lifelong commitment to learning, refinement, and practical application in everyday life.

Equally, he is passionate about empowering underprivileged children with potential, helping them unlock opportunities to create value for themselves and their families. This commitment extends to providing support for a school in his ancestral village and a learning academy in the slums of a city in India, ensuring that education becomes a catalyst for value creation and improved socio-economic conditions.

Chief Public Policy Influencers (CPPI)

Mrs. Bhairavi Nadgonde - Her academic background includes an MBA and a BSc in Microbiology and Chemistry. Passionate about community engagement, she has contributed to education, women’s empowerment, and cultural initiatives. In her free time, she enjoys Indian classical music, painting, and literature.

Contributions and Achievements

Founded a school for girls in rural Maharashtra to support education.
Organized fundraising for international student scholarships.
Conducted free IT training for underprivileged women and children.
Donated funds for temples, cultural centers, and classical arts organizations like SpicMcKay.
Chaired multiple committees promoting education and economic development.
Served on the boards of various companies, including Novara Comp Services and Strategic Medical Management.
Key speaker at international business conferences, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and World Trade Center events.
Held leadership roles in organizations like Rotary International, India-U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and GOPIO.
Vice President of the India-U.S. Chamber of Commerce and President of GOPIO Atlanta Chapter.
Published the book “Know India” to promote awareness about Indian culture.
Trained in Indian classical music, playing the sitar and vocals under renowned maestros.
Chaired the Arts and Music Committee at the French Art Colony, Gallipolis, OH.
Organized and promoted classical music concerts in the U.S.

Chief Public Policy Influencers (CPPI)

Dr. Amod Sureka - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amodsureka/

Social Media Director

Mr. Subhojit Roy is an Atlanta-based software consultant in mission-critical applications. Before that, he worked as an SME and Solutions Architect in the Supply Chain domain for big consulting companies. He is committed to compassion causes and has worked in campaigns for Georgia Congressional and Senatorial candidates. Avid reader, traveler, and sports enthusiast.