Agamas are canonical texts of Jainism based on Mahavira’s teachings. Mahavira’s preaching were orally compiled by his disciples into various Sutras (texts) which were collectively called Jain canonical or Agamic literature. Traditionally these sutras were orally passed on from teachers (acaryas or gurus) to the disciples for several centuries. The scholars date the composition of Jain agamas at around 6th to 3rd century BCE.

While some authors date the composition of Jain Agamas starting from 6th century BCE , noted indologist Hermann Jacobi holds that the composition of the Jaina canon would fall somewhere about the end of the fourth or the beginning of the third century BCE The general consensus amongst scholars is that the earliest portions of Jain canons were composed around 4th or 3rd century BCE. This is also in agreement with Jain tradition according to which the agamic literature and the Purvas were passed from one heads of the order to his disciples for around 170 years after the Nirvana (Jainism) of Mahavira. However with time, it became difficult to keep the entire Jain literature committed to memory. According to tradition, there occurred a twelve years of famine around 350 BC where it was extremely difficult for the Jain ascetics to survive during this time. Under such circumstances they could not preserve the entire canonical literature. The Purvas or the ancient texts were already forgotten and lost after the famine. According to Svetambara tradition, the agamas were collected on the basis of collective memory of the ascetics in the first council of Pataliputra under the stewardship of Acarya Sthulibhadra in around to 463–367 BCE. However, the Digambara Jain sect maintains that after the famine, the entire Jain canonical literature became extinct.

Acharya Shri Mahapragya (आचार्य महाप्रज्ञ )(14 June 1920 – 9 May 2010) was the tenth Acharya, supreme head of the Svetambar Terapanth sect of Jainism. Mahapragya was a highly venerable saint, yogi, spiritual leader, philosopher, author, orator, poet. Many of his books and articles were published under the former name Muni Nathmal (मुनि नथमल).

He began his life of religious reflection and development as a Jain monk at the age of ten. Mahapragya played a major role in Anuvrat movement launched by his Guru Acharya Tulsi in 1949, and became the acknowledged leader of the movement in 1995. Acharya Mahapragya formulated the well organized Preksha meditation system in the 1970s, and developed the "Science of Living" education system which is a practical approach for the balanced development of a student and his character building.

He traversed more than 100,000 km on foot covering more than 10,000 villages reaching out to the masses spreading the message of harmony and peace.^{[citation needed]} He walked across the length and breadth of India From Kutch District in Gujarat to Kolkata and from Punjab to Kanyakumari. Mahapragya undertook this travel under the leadership of Acharya Tulsi and later with himself being the leader.^{[citation needed]} During these travels, he addressed thousands of public meetings. Mahapragya is an apostle of nonviolence. He launched the Ahimsa Yatra movement in 2001 which continued until 2009 to promote non-violence and harmony. Followers refer to him as Gurudev, which mean the Godly Teacher.^{[citation needed]} His discourses were telecasted daily on Indian television.

Mahendra Kumar Roy (born: 31 December 1955) is a member of the 15th Lok Sabha. He was elected on a CPI(M) ticket from the Jalpaiguri Lok Sabha constituency.

The son of the late Harendra Kumar Roy and the late Nanibala Roy, he was born at Goriapara village in Jalpaiguri district. He is a B.A. and B.Ed. from A.C. College and A.C. Training College, Jalpaiguri.

He started political activities at the village level. He was in the gram panchayat during 1978-1988, was a member of the Panchyat Samiti 1993-1998, and a member of Jalpaiguri Zila Parishad 1998-2003. He was elected to the West Bengal assembly from the Rajganj Vidhan Sabha constituency in 2006.

Maher Zain (Arabic: ماهر زين‎ ; born March 16, 1981 in Tripoli, Lebanon) is a Muslim Swedish R&B singer, songwriter and music producer of Lebanese origin. His debut album Thank You Allah, an internationally successful album with strong Muslim religious influences, was released in 2009. He released his follow-up album Forgive Me on April 2, 2012.

Maher Zain and his family moved to Sweden when he was eight years old. He completed his schooling there gaining a Bachelors degree in Aeronautical Engineering. After university he entered the music industry in Sweden and linked up with RedOne, the Moroccan-born Swedish producer.

When RedOne moved to New York in 2006 Maher Zain followed soon after to continue his music industry career in the USA producing for artists such as Kat DeLuna. On a visit home to Sweden he became engaged once more with his Islamic faith and decided to move away from a career as a music producer to become a singer/songwriter of contemporary R&B music with a strong Muslim religious influence.