MontyGilyard431 at 16:17, 30 December 2025

2025-12-30T16:17:23Z

New page

{{Short description|Indian Hindu religious publishing house}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox publisher
| name = Gita Press
| image = Gita_Press_logo.png
| image_size =
| image_caption = Logo
| parent =
| status = Active
| founded = {{Start date and years ago|1923|5|3}}
| founder = Jay Dayal Goyanka <br>
Ghanshyam Das Jalan
| successor =
| country = [[India]]
| headquarters = [[Gorakhpur]], [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| distribution = [[World|Worldwide]]
| keypeople =
| publications = [[Hindu texts|Hindu Religious Books]] and ''Kalyan Masik''
| topics = [[Hinduism]]
| genre =
| imprints =
| revenue =
| numemployees = 350
| nasdaq =
| url = {{url|https://www.gitapress.org/|www.gitapress.org}}
}}

'''Gita Press''' is an Indian [[Publishing|books publishing company]], headquartered in [[Gorakhpur]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]], and considered to be the world's largest publisher of [[Hinduism#Scriptures|Hindu religious texts]]. It was founded in 1923 by Jaya Dayal Goyanka, [[Hanuman Prasad Poddar]], and Ghanshyam Das Jalan with the intention to make sacred texts easily accessible to the general public.

Publication began in 1927 with a monthly Hindi magazine titled Kalyan. Since its establishment, the Gita Press has published over 417 million books in 14 different languages. Gita Press was conferred with the [[Gandhi Peace Prize]] of 2021, by the [[Government of India]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 to be conferred on Gita Press, Gorakhpur |url=https://pib.gov.in/pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1933252 |access-date=2023-06-18 |website=pib.gov.in}}</ref>

[[File:Gita_Press,_Gorakhpur.gif|thumb|Gita Press office gate in [[Gorakhpur]]]]

== History ==
Gita Press was established on 29 April 1923 in [[Gorakhpur]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]] by Jaya Dayal Goyanka, Hanuman Prasad Poddar, and Ghanysham Das Jalan.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Gita Press {{!}} Gita Press {{!}} Hinduism, Scriptures, Publications {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gita-Press |access-date=2025-06-21 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> The vision of the Gita Press was to provide affordable translations and commentaries of sacred texts for the general public.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Freier |first=Monika |date=2012-07-01 |title=Cultivating emotions: the Gita Press and its agenda of social and spiritual reform |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/19472498.2012.693711 |journal=South Asian History and Culture |volume=3 |issue=3 |pages=397–413 |doi=10.1080/19472498.2012.693711 |issn=1947-2498|url-access=subscription }}</ref> To launch the press, Goyanka worked with fellow businessmen in Gorakhpur.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-06-19 |title=The business of Gita Press: How it racked up mind-boggling numbers |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/the-business-of-gita-press-how-it-racked-up-mind-boggling-numbers/articleshow/101104533.cms? |access-date=2025-06-30 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kumar |first=Mayank |date=2023-06-24 |title=Gita Press {{!}} God’s own publisher |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/gita-press-gods-own-publisher/article67006286.ece |access-date=2025-06-30 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Formal publication began in 1927 with a monthly Hindi magazine, ''Kalyan''.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2023-06-19 |title=Gita Press: All about the 100-year-old publisher of Hindu texts chosen for Gandhi Peace Prize |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/gita-press-history-hindu-texts-pm-modi-congress-gandhi-peace-prize-row-2394883-2023-06-19 |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref>

Gita Press is a unit of Gobind Bhawan Karyalaya registered under the [[Societies Registration Act, 1860]] (presently governed by the [[West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961|West Bengal Societies Act, 1961]])<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Gita Press - Promoting Hindu Teachings Since 1923 |url=https://gitapress.org/aboutUs |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=gitapress.org}}</ref>

In 2019, it was estimated that the Gita Press produced 141 million copies of the [[Bhagavad Gita]], 108 million copies of the [[Ramcharitmanas]], 25 million copies of the [[Puranas]] and [[Upanishads]], 5 million copies of the [[Hanuman Chalisa]], and 198 million copies of smaller book, and 160 million copies of various booklets and pamphlets.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |date=April 2021 |title=Gita Press Runs into Its Next Century – Hinduism Today |url=https://www.hinduismtoday.com/magazine/apr-may-jun-2021/gita-press-runs-into-its-next-century/}}</ref>
== Branches ==
Gita Press has branches and outlets throughout India and one location in [[Nepal]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gita Press Stores Across India - Find a Location Near You |url=https://gitapress.org/ourStores |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=gitapress.org}}</ref>[[File:Gita Press Gorakhpur outlet at Kanpur Railway Station.jpg|thumb|Gita Press Gorakhpur outlet at [[Kanpur]] Railway Statio]]

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Branches !! State !! Address
|-
| [[Bengaluru]]|| [[Karnataka]]|| 7/3, 2nd Cross, Lalbagh Road, Bangalore – 560027
|-
| [[Bhilwara]]|| [[Rajasthan]]|| G-7, Aakar Tower, C Block, Opp. Harsh Palace, Gandhi Nagar, Bhilwara – 311001
|-
| [[Chennai]]|| [[Tamil Nadu]]|| Electro House No. 23, Ramanathan Street, Kilpauk, Chennai – 600010
|-
| [[Coimbatore]]|| [[Tamil Nadu]]|| Gita Press Mansion 8/1 M, Racecourse, Coimbatore – 641018
|-
| [[Cuttack]] || [[Odisha]] || Bharatiya Towers, Badam Badi, Cuttack – 753009
|-
| [[Delhi]] || [[Delhi Union Territory|Delhi]] || 2609, Nayi Sarak, Delhi – 110006
|-
| [[Gorakhpur]]|| [[Uttar Pradesh]]|| Gita Press, P.O. Gita Press, Gorakhpur – 273005
|-
| [[Haridwar]] || [[Uttarakhand]] || Sabjimandi, Motibazar, Haridwar – 249401
|-
| [[Hyderabad]] || [[Telangana]] || 41, 4-4-1, Dilshad Plaza, Sultan Bazar, Hyderabad – 500095
|-
| [[Indore]] || [[Madhya Pradesh]] || G-5, Shree Vardhan, 4 R.N.T. Marg, Indore – 452001
|-
| [[Jalgaon]] || [[Maharashtra]] || 7, Bhim Singh Market, Near Railway Station, Jalgaon – 425001
|-
| [[Kanpur]] || [[Uttar Pradesh]] || 24/55, Birhana Road, Kanpur – 208001
|-
|[[Kathmandu]]
| [[Nepal]]
|P84X+J3G, Pashupatinath Marg, Kathmandu 44600, Nepal
|-
| [[Kolkata]]|| [[West Bengal]]|| 151, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kolkata – 700007
|-
| [[Mumbai]]|| [[Maharashtra]]|| 282, Samaldas Gandhi Marg (Princess Street), Near Marine Lines Station, Mumbai – 400002
|-
| [[Nagpur]]|| [[Maharashtra]]|| Shriji Kripa Complex, 851, New Etawari Road, Nagpur – 440002
|-
| [[Patna]]|| [[Bihar]]|| Ashok Rajpath, Opposite Women's Hospital, Patna – 800004
|-
| [[Raipur]] || [[Chhattisgarh]] || Mittal Complex, Ganjpara, Telghani Chowk, Raipur – 492009
|-
| [[Ranchi]] || [[Jharkhand]] || Cart Sarai Road, Upper Bazar, First Floor Birla Gaddi, Ranchi – 834001
|-
| [[Rishikesh]]|| [[Uttarakhand]]|| Gita Bhavan, P.O. Swargashram, Rishikesh – 249304
|-
| [[Surat]]|| [[Gujarat]]|| Vaibhav Apartment, Opposite Nutan Niwas, Bhatar Road, Surat – 395001
|-
| [[Varanasi]]|| [[Uttar Pradesh]]|| 59/9, Nichibag, Varanasi – 221001
|}

==Gita Press Leela Chitra Mandir==
The Gita Press Leela Chitra Mandir, or art gallery, is located at the Gorakhpur Gita Press location, was inaugurated by India's first president, [[Rajendra Prasad]]. Around 684 paintings portray the life and teachings of [[Rama]] and [[Krishna]]. Other paintings, including Mewari style paintings of the ''Krishna Lila'' are also on exhibit. Other artifacts, such as letters by [[Mahatma Gandhi]] and ancient copies of the Bhagavad Gita, are preserved here.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Enlightening Generations: The Enduring Legacy of Gita Press – Asian Lite UAE |url=https://asianlite.ae/2023/art-culture/media/enlightening-generations-the-enduring-legacy-of-gita-press |access-date=2025-06-30 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-11-24 |title=Gita Press Chitra Mandir is a gallery of inspiration |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/gita-press-chitra-mandir-is-a-gallery-of-inspiration/articleshow/17350791.cms |access-date=2025-06-30 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

== Recognitions ==
In 2021, Gita Press was awarded the [[Gandhi Peace Prize]] by India Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=2023-06-19 |title=Gita Press: All you need to know about the 100-year-old publisher |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/gita-press-100-year-old-publisher-of-hindu-texts-gandhi-peace-prize-for-2021-101687176463836.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722201843/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/gita-press-100-year-old-publisher-of-hindu-texts-gandhi-peace-prize-for-2021-101687176463836.html |archive-date=22 July 2023 |access-date=2025-06-30 |work=Hindustan Times |language=en-us |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Hanuman Prasad Poddar]]
*[[Sri Venkateswar Steam Press]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==

*[https://www.gitapress.org/ Gita Press]
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Publishing in India]]
[[Category:Religious tract publishing companies]]
[[Category:Book publishing companies of India]]
[[Category:Hindu organizations]]
[[Category:Indian literature]]
[[Category:Publishing companies established in 1923]]
[[Category:Gorakhpur]]
[[Category:Religious mass media in India]]
[[Category:Hindu mass media]]
[[Category:Translators of the Bhagavad Gita]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 1923]]

Gita Press - Revision history

MontyGilyard431 at 16:17, 30 December 2025