Gita Press: All you need to know about the 100-year-old publisher

Gita Press, which has been chosen as the recipient of the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021, is one of the world's largest publishers of religious texts. Having published around 41.7 crore books in 14 languages, including 16.21 crore Shrimad Bhagvad Gita, the publishing house was started by businessmen Jai Dayal Goenka, Ghanshyam Das Jalan, and Hanuman Prasad Poddar on April 29, 1923.

Hanuman Prasad Poddar, one of the founders, is also the editor of 'Kalyan' magazine which is being printed by the Press.

Established to promote 'Sanatan Dharma'

The Press was established to promote the principles of ‘Sanatan Dharma’. “Gita Press archives contain over 3,500 manuscripts including over 100 interpretations of the Bhagwad Gita”, the website of the publishing house says.

How does the Press function?

The Governing Council (Trust Board) of the institution manages the Press. "The institution neither solicits donations nor accepts advertisements in its publications. The deficit is met by the surplus from other departments of the society which render services at reasonable cost, in accordance with the objects of the society”, its website says.

READ | ‘Like awarding Godse’: Jairam Ramesh on Centre's decision to confer Gandhi Peace Prize on Gita Press

Workers' strike

The employees of Gita Press went on strike in December 2014. The strike was organised by the workers citing lack of salary increments. The management also suspended 12 permanent and five contractual workers, reports Newslaundry.

Later the issue was resolved in a meeting between the employees and the trustees. However, the publishing house remained closed for around 3 weeks owing to the strike.

Gita Press conferred with Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021

Gita Press was conferred the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 for its “outstanding contribution towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods”.

The jury headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi unanimously decided to select Gita Press as the recipient of the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 after due deliberations.

"PM Modi recalled the contribution of Gita Press, in promoting the Gandhian ideals of peace and social harmony. He observed that the conferment of Gandhi Peace Prize on Gita Press, on completion of hundred years of its establishment, is a recognition of the work done by the institution in community service," the statement of the decision-making panel read.

The prize also carries a cash component of Rs. 1 crore.

The publishing house has refused to accept the cash component of the award keeping with its tradition of not receiving any kind of donations.