Gita Press turns 100: PM Modi hails publisher as 'living faith', says no less than a temple (WATCH)

Gita Press was recently conferred with the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 by a jury headed by PM Narendra Modi. 

Equating the century-old Gita Press to a temple for crores of people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing an event in Gorakhpur on Friday, said that the institution was a living faith to which even Mahatma Gandhi was emotionally attached to.

"Gita Press is the only printing press in the world which is not just an organisation, but a living faith. It is no less than a temple for crores of people," said PM Modi while addressing the centenary celebrations of Gita Press — one of ‘world’s largest publisher of Hindu religious books‘.

"On the occasion of Gita Press completing its 100 years, our government has conferred Gita Press with Gandhi Peace Prize. Gandhi Ji was emotionally attached to Gita Press. He once used to write for Gita Press through Kalyan Patrika," he added.

PM Modi also noted, "Gita Press unites India, it strengthens the unity of India. It has 20 braches across the country, and its stalls can be seen all across. As many as 1,600 publications are done in 15 different languages."

Gita Press was recently conferred with the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 by a jury headed by PM Modi. The prize is an annual award instituted by the central government in 1995 and it carries a prize money of Rs 1 crore, a citation, plaque and a traditional handicraft or handloom item. Gita Press has refused to accept the prize money, saying it will only accept the citations.

Upon PM Modi's arrival in Gorakhpur on Friday to attend the closing ceremony of the centenary celebrations of the publishing house, and flag off Vande Bharat trains, he was welcomed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor Anandiben Patel.

Following his speech, PM Modi flagged off the Gorakhpur-Lucknow and Jodhpur-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express trains in the evening and also launched the Gorakhpur railway station redevelopment project worth Rs 498-crore.