Thread by @ValueWithPrem

Middle class fights with banks for loans at 12%. But there’s one Indian community where you get 0% loans from temples.

No banks, no brokers. Just unity & reputation.👇🏻

1. Jain derasars don’t just do pooja.
They manage crores in donations (daan/dharmada).

Instead of letting money sit idle, many derasars rotate it back into the community as bina byaaj (interest free) loans.

2. In Jain culture, derasars (temples) are more than religious places.

They’re also:
• Community treasuries like Bank
• Decision making hubs like Boardrooms
• Community hubs

Donations don’t just sit idle. They get recycled into loans for community members.

3. Who gets these loans?
• Students going abroad for higher studies
• Shopkeepers & small traders
• Families facing medical emergencies
• Young entrepreneurs

All at 0% interest or very subsidised loan. No collateral. Just community trust.

4. The cycle is genius
• Jain takes a loan & starts a shop or studies abroad.
• He grows & repays principal.
• The same money funds the next Jain.
• When he becomes rich then he donates back again to the derasar.

Wealth compounds across generations.

This aligns with Jain principles of aparigraha (non possessiveness) and dana (charity), treating donations as circulating capital. Defaults can occur, though community pressure minimizes them.

5. This is why Jain community has insane unity.

They don’t let a member go bankrupt. If one fails, others support until he rises again.

Failure isn’t the end. It’s part of the cycle.

6. Real examples
• Shri Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya (Mumbai) gives Interest free loans for CA, MBA, foreign studies.

• JITO (Jain International Trade Org.) gives Subsidized loans for startups & education.

• Local derasars in Gujarat & Rajasthan quietly fund business expansions.

7. Think about the edge

• Middle class runs to banks, pays 8 to 12% interest.
• Jain trader gets 0% loan from his community.

That gap = lifetime compounding advantage.

8. Result? Despite being just 0.4% of India, Jains:
• May Contribute >20% of income tax
• Dominate diamonds, textiles, pharma, real estate
• Rarely go bankrupt (unity + rotation)

It’s not magic. It’s a system.

9. It’s not just money.
These loans come with mentorship, business advice, and networks.

Because the derasar isn’t just a temple. It’s also a like community hub, boardroom, and Community treasuries like bank all in one.

10. Key lessons from Jain playbook:
• Treat donations as circulating capital
• Build trust as trust > contracts
• Rotate money within the community
• Reinvest, don’t flaunt
• Help the next generation rise

11. Some well Jain Business Family:
• Gautam Adani - Adani Group
• Dilip Shanghvi - Sun Pharmaceutical Industries
• Ashwin Dani - Asian Paints
• Sanjiv Bajaj - Bajaj Finserv
• Nirmal Jain - IIFL Group

Now you see why Jains quietly build empires while others struggle with EMIs.

Wealth isn’t about income.
It’s about community systems & discipline.

RT to spread financial awareness in your circle.

Threads that change how you see money. Follow @ValueWithPrem to learn the playbook.

Do you think such community driven finance can exist outside tight knit groups like Jains?