Prakash Shah, a former top executive at Reliance Industries, has given up his high-profile job to become a monk. Known for his business skills and leadership, Shah and his wife Nain Shah embraced a life of peace and spirituality by taking diksha on Mahavir Jayanti.
Who is Prakash Shah?
Shah was a Vice President at Reliance and closely involved in important company decisions. His choice to leave behind a successful career and worldly life has surprised many. Photos on social media show him dressed in simple white robes, walking barefoot with very few belongings.
This is a big change from his earlier high-profile lifestyle. He has taken vows of celibacy and given up all material comforts. Now, he follows a life of simplicity, detachment, and service.
Shah’s academic and professional achievements
Shah’s decision to embrace a spiritual life didn’t happen overnight. People close to him say he had a deep interest in Jain philosophy and spirituality for years. Over time, this calling grew stronger and led him to give up the material comforts he had once worked so hard to earn.
Before this transition, Shah had an illustrious career. He is a Chemical Engineer and has done his post-graduation from IIT Bombay. During his rise through the corporate positions, he has handled crucial projects like petcoke marketing and Jamnagar petcoke gasification. Now, as a monk, he follows a path embedded in simplicity and discipline.
Followers of Jain philosophy are encouraged to give up material desires and live a life of truth, honesty, and meditation.