Aashi Jain

Born in a small village in India, Aashi Jain is the first in her family to come to the United States to pursue her education. Seeing the suffering of many people, including her own mother - some even losing their lives due to a lack of medical facilities - Aashi was determined to take a stand and work toward solutions.

After a summer job at the International School for Jain Studies in India, she followed her interest in the Jain religion to FIU, where her research on the intersection between Jainism and medical science showed how ancient hymns and mantras could be used as instruments of healing. In her research, Aashi employed ethnographic and archival research methods, including interviews over Zoom due to the pandemic. Because of her work, she established a good rapport in the Jain community of South Florida, as well as throughout North America. During Summer 2020, she conducted voluntary classes to educate Jain youth about the Bhaktāmara Stotra, a popular hymn in Jainism.

At FIU, Aashi worked as a teaching assistant and said she is grateful to the professors in the Department of Religious Studies who motivated her to push beyond her limits to excel. She plans to continue her research at the University of Ottawa, where she will pursue her Ph.D. in religious studies.

Daniel Lederman
Junior Account Manager