Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that Gita Press has played a historic role in preserving and strengthening Sanatan Dharma and Indian cultural values for over a century, describing its monthly magazine ‘Kalyan’ as one of the strongest efforts to immortalise India’s civilisational ethos.
Addressing the release ceremony of the centenary edition of ‘Kalyan’ in Rishikesh, Shah said Gita Press has functioned not as a commercial enterprise but as an institution devoted to shaping generations through spiritual and cultural awakening. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and other dignitaries were present at the event. The Union Home Minister also visited the Lakshminarayan Temple and offered prayers to Maa Ganga.
Shah said no individual in India or across the world who draws inspiration from Sanatan Dharma or looks to Indian culture for solutions to global challenges can remain unaware of Gita Press. He paid tribute to Hanuman Prasad Poddar, noting that for nearly 103 years he devoted his life to strengthening Sanatan culture through Gita Press, inspiring crores of people through spirituality and selfless service.
Describing ‘Kalyan’ as more than a magazine, Shah said it has served as a spiritual guide, keeping the lamp of Indian culture burning during every period of crisis. “Civilisations are not built with swords but with words and knowledge, and words become powerful when illuminated by truth and virtue,” he said, adding that ‘Kalyan’ demonstrated this philosophy through its content.
The Home Minister noted that every word and issue of ‘Kalyan’ over the past 100 years has been dedicated to Sanatan Dharma and Indian culture. He recalled that the magazine published several landmark special editions, including the Krishna Issue (1932), Yoga Issue (1936), the Women’s Issue after Independence, and the Hindu Culture Issue (1950), which, he said, offered ideological direction at a time when national policies were influenced by Western thought.
Shah said Gita Press made major contributions by publishing and widely disseminating spiritual literature, including Adi Shankaracharya’s commentaries on the Upanishads, ensuring that sacred texts reached generations without dilution. He highlighted that ‘Kalyan’ has published nearly 100 special issues focused on different dimensions of Sanatan Dharma.
Referring to governance and cultural revival, Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, efforts are underway to place India’s cultural values at the core of policymaking. He cited initiatives such as the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, restoration of Kedarnath, development works at Badrinath, removal of Article 370, and the return of more than 640 stolen idols to India.
The Home Minister announced that the government will observe the coming year as ‘Somnath Swabhiman Varsh’, marking 1,000 years since the destruction of the Somnath Temple. He said Somnath’s repeated reconstruction symbolises the resilience of Indian civilisation.
Shah also underlined that Gita Press has maintained its ideals by refusing advertisements since inception, following Mahatma Gandhi’s advice to keep spiritual publications free from market pressures. He said the institution’s focus on character-building and nation-building has led to a renewed sense of faith, hope and pride in Indian culture.
Concluding his address, Shah said institutions like Gita Press and publications such as ‘Kalyan’ have ensured that the flame of Sanatan Dharma remains alive through centuries of challenges, safeguarding India’s spiritual and cultural legacy for future generations.
