Gita Press, Gorakhpur, has been awarded the Gandhi Peace Prize 2021 for its outstanding contribution towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods. The prestigious award was announced by the Ministry of Culture on June 18, 2023, after a unanimous decision by the jury headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Gita Press, established in 1923, is one of the world’s largest publishers of religious books, especially Hindu scriptures. It has published 41.7 crore books in 14 languages, including 16.21 crore copies of Shrimad Bhagvad Gita. The institution has never relied on advertisement in its publications, for revenue generation.
Gita Press along with its affiliated organizations, such as Kalyan magazine and Gita Vatika, strives for the betterment of life and the well being of all. It promotes the values of truth, non-violence, service, self-reliance, simplicity and harmony among people. It also supports various social causes such as cow protection, education, health care and rural development.
Prime Minister Modi praised the contribution of Gita Press in promoting the Gandhian ideals of peace and social harmony. He said that the award is a recognition of the work done by the institution in community service. He also observed that the award coincides with the completion of hundred years of its establishment.
The Gandhi Peace Prize is an annual award instituted by the government in 1995, on the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi as a tribute to the ideals espoused by him. The award is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, language, caste, creed or gender. The award carries an amount of Rs 1 crore, a citation, a plaque and an exquisite traditional handicraft/handloom item.
The past awardees include organizations such as ISRO, Ramakrishna Mission, Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari, Akshaya Patra Foundation and Sulabh International. It has also been awarded to luminaries like Late Dr. Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa, Dr. Julius Nyerere, Former President of Tanzania, Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne, Founder President of Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, Sri Lanka and Shri Chandi Prasad Bhatt.
The recent awardees include Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said of Oman (2019) and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of Bangladesh (2020).