At the closing ceremony of Gita Press’s centenary celebrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke in Gorakhpur about Mahatma Gandhi’s association with the magazine. He mentioned that Gandhi used to write for Kalyan, a magazine published by Gita Press. PM Modi commended the press for adhering to Gandhi’s advice and keeping Kalyan free from advertisements. The decision to award the Gandhi Peace Prize 2021 to Gita Press garnered criticism from the Congress, who compared the honor to honoring V D Savarkar and Gandhi’s assassin, Nathuram Godse. However, PM Modi’s statement aligns with an obituary written by Hanuman Prasad Poddar, the first editor of Kalyan, where he described Gandhi as a saint and a great man. The Prime Minister viewed the conferment of the Gandhi Peace Prize as a significant recognition of the press’s work and heritage over the past 100 years. Modi regarded Gita Press as not only a great institution but also a sacred temple, stating, ‘It has Gita in its name and Gita in its work… and where Gita is, there is Krishna, and where Krishna is, there is compassion and karma.’ He referred to Gita Press as a spiritual light that guides the entire human race and empowers people globally through millions of religious texts published by the press. PM Modi emphasized that Gita Press not only represents ‘dharma’ and ‘karma’ but also possesses a national character that promotes unity. The press publishes 1,600 different types of religious texts in 15 languages and has nearly 20 branches across the country. Modi noted that Gita Press symbolizes the ideology of ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat,’ which unifies and strengthens the country. He considered the centenary celebration of Gita Press in the 75th year of India’s independence a rare occasion and highlighted its role as a crucial foundation for the freedom movement and renaissance in the country. The PM also mentioned the destruction of libraries and the erasure of cultural institutions by foreign invaders, including the suppression of ‘gurukul’ and ‘guru-shishya.’ In conclusion, PM Modi praised Gita Press for preserving and disseminating religious texts, ensuring their continuity and availability to future generations.