BIO
Sanjay Jain was born in New Delhi, India in 1963. He grew up in a loving multigenerational Jain family. The responsibilities of being the oldest sibling were lightened by the support of his elders, older cousins, and a supportive neighborhood that provided an encouraging and limitless space to grow. With help from his surroundings, family, and hard work, Sanjay gained admission into the most prestigious engineering college in India, the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi. Luckily a short distance from his home, he pursued his degree in civil engineering in a competitive but inviting environment. During his time at IIT, Sanjay participated in the National Service Scheme which applied his skills among many things to install water wells and science labs in a resource-stricken village. Additionally, he held the highest student position as secretary of the Civil Engineering Society Club. In this pursuit of knowledge, he found himself for the first time in the US completing his master's in civil engineering at LSU in 1987. The tides of the technology revolution had found their way into Sanjay’s curiosities. He had picked up on computers in his undergraduate and master's program and was inspired to take up a second master's in computer science at LSU, but not before meeting someone special. Sanjay and his wife Renu united through an arranged marriage and forged a lifetime bond built on thoughtfulness and compassion. This new chapter with his new family in the US was built on humble beginnings. As a graduate student without a green card, finding work opportunities was narrowed. His early professional work began with Lockheed Martin, an aerospace company that brought him to Houston. In the new city, he was able to find a new community within the Jain and Arya Samaj temples, uniting him with like-minded individuals through religion. His career took new turns from developing a chemical engineering software plant to working in the healthcare informatics sector. In an effort to stay closer to his family, Sanjay retired from his 13-year career with Cerner as the Director of Engineering Development that was responsible for transmitting medical images over the web across the world for immediate readings, helping in the military, and undertaking work in the commercial sector. He ventured into business and is the CEO of RAAS Enterprises, which owns restaurant and retail brand franchises. He continues his passion for civil engineering by channeling his expertise in his local community with his position on the building standard commission in Sugar Land. Religion has played an important role in the upbringing and values of Sanjay. It has inspired his service as he has always believed in giving back as much as one receives. These channels of giving are best embodied in his contributions at the Arya Samaj, where he has held many responsibilities, helped to spearhead new programs such as Vedic Sanskrit School Global and Arya Yuva Mandal to connect the next generation of youth to religion and service. He is also a part of the Eternal Gandhi Museum Houston and helps with organizing their programs. Additionally, through his knowledge of Sanskrit and Prakrit, he has given back to the HAAA through the transliteration of important Sanskrit texts. He esteems the proponents of Jainism, among them Ahimsa, the belief in respect for life and avoidance of violence, which inspires his vegetarianism and friendly way of life. Sanjay is supported by his loving family, cute grandchildren, and neighborhood to continue to bridge communities to help them flourish and to open them to the world.