A 30 year-old American software engineer, Rishi Zaveri, and his mother, Sunitaben, embraced ascetic life by taking diksha on Sunday at Shahpur,  Thane. The family had migrated from Thane to the United States around three decades ago when Rishi was two-and-a-half years old. 

The three-day long rituals marking the renouncement of worldly life started on June 6 at the Bhuvanbhanu Manas Mandir in Shahapur and was attended by hundreds of Jains from across the world.

Zaveri, who travelled across the world meeting Jain communities to talk about his decision to take up an ascetic's journey, said he was convinced that he wanted to take the path after meeting his guru. Rishi, who completed his bachelor's and master's degrees in computer science at the University of Michigan, worked for six years with the San Francisco-based technology giant, Salesforce, in their office in Indianapolis, before working from home for the company.

He was reportedly earning more than 100,000 US dollars annually. He was an active member of the Detroit Jain Samaj, Michigan."I knew I could achieve what I wanted. My introduction to guruji had an impact on me. At some point in my mind, I decided this was the path I wanted to take," said Zaveri in an interview before the ceremony.

After his initiation as a monk, Rishi will be known as Muniraj Rishihemvijayji Maharajsaheb and became a disciple of Viragaratna Vijaymaharaj, the Panyas Pravar of the Bhuvanbhanu community.

Sunitaben Zaveri received  the new name, Sadhvi Mantitarekha Maharaj, and became a disciple of Sadhvi Hitatmarekha. The ceremony was attended by five acharyas and many Sadhu and Sadhvis.