Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, today addressed the release ceremony of centenary edition of Gita Press’s monthly magazine 'Kalyan' in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. Union Home Minister also visited and offered prayers at the Lakshminarayan Temple and to Maa Ganga. On this occasion, prominent dignitaries including Uttarakhand Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami were present.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that no person in India or the world who has expectations from Sanatan Dharma, who looks towards Indian culture for solutions to the world's problems, and who loves this land can possibly remain unaware of Gita Press. He said that revered Hanuman Prasad Poddar Ji has, through Gita Press, been strengthening the flame of Sanatan Dharma for nearly 103 years. He inspired crores of people towards spirituality through devotion and, by walking this path, paved the way to Moksha. Shri Shah said that Poddar Ji renounced everything and dedicated his entire life to Gita Press. He further added that through Gita Press, Poddar Ji has instilled unwavering faith and reverence for Indian culture in the hearts of every individual and every family.

Shri Amit Shah said that Gita Press does not operate for profit but for the purpose of building generations. He said that Gita Press has succeeded in reaching crores of people with noble literature in a self-reliant manner. He said that 'Kalyan' is making an effort to deliver the eternal flame of knowledge to every reader. Shri Shah remarked that today, a celebration of Sanatan consciousness is visible across the country, and 'Kalyan' has kept the lamp of Indian culture burning through every crisis. He said that 'Kalyan' is not merely a magazine but a spiritual guide for Indians in the world of spirituality. Among the many efforts to make India's culture immortal, the name of 'Kalyan' magazine stands as one of the strongest. He said that in its 100 years, 'Kalyan' has worked to unite the virtuous strength of the followers of Sanatan Dharma. He added that those who truly know India cannot even fully evaluate the unparalleled contribution of Gita Press.

Union Home Minister said that it is a great achievement for a magazine like 'Kalyan' to complete 100 years. He said that from its inception to the present day, every word, sentence, and issue of Kalyan has been continuously dedicated to Sanatan Dharma and Indian culture. He said that Gita Press has done a tremendous service by making Adi Shankaracharya ji's commentaries on the Upanishads accessible to the people. He added that for four generations, Gita Press has consistently made this literature accessible to every generation without diluting its essence in any way.

Shri Amit Shah said that 'Kalyan' has so far published 100 special issues dedicated to Sanatan Dharma. He said that in its 1932 issue, 'Kalyan' presented Lord Shri Krishna before the people in a single issue as an object of reverence, as a great personality who is a politician, a philosopher, and the destroyer of all evil. He said that 'Kalyan' published the Yoga issue in 1936, in which it elaborately explained the interpretation, nature, and systems of Yoga. He mentioned that after independence, the first issue of 'Kalyan' to be published was the Women issue. Shri Shah said that the Hindu Culture issue of 'Kalyan' was published at a time when, in 1950, our country's policies were being shaped under Western influence. He remarked that the idea behind this issue must have been that when the country is independent and formulating its own policies, those policies should be rooted in the principles of Indian culture, not in foreign ideas. He said that today, in the centenary year of ‘Kalyan’, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, policies are being formulated by incorporating cultural values ​​at their core.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that during British rule, it had become a kind of fashion to label religion as superstition. At that time, without using any kind of aggressive language, Poddar Ji worked to light a lamp of knowledge called ‘Kalyan’. He said that its sole objective was the welfare of the people and the well-being of the world. He added that the spirit of the welfare of the entire world was embodied in ‘Kalyan’. Shri Shah said that Poddar Ji responded to the opposition to our core ideas through logic, scriptures, and peace. He said that the protection of Sanatan Dharma cannot be achieved through noise, but only through scriptures and reason. Shri Shah said that Gita Press never did anything for self-promotion or fund-raising because its objective was not centred on individuals but on ideas. Home Minister said that ‘Kalyan’ taught us that civilizations are built not by the sword but by words and knowledge, and that words become effective only when they shine with the light of truth and virtue.

Shri Amit Shah said that when ‘Kalyan’ was launched, Mahatma Gandhi had advised that advertisements should never be published in ‘Kalyan’, and to this day, ‘Kalyan’ has not carried a single advertisement. He said that spiritual books and journals should remain free from market pressures. The objective of the Gita Press is character-building and nation-building. Shri Shah said that the Gita Press has produced a wide range of literature, which has led to a sense of awakening in the nation. He added that the Gita Press has highlighted the tireless efforts of countless saints and made them available for people to read. He said that as a result, we are once again witnessing a strengthening of attraction towards Sanatan Dharma, renewed hope, and a firm belief in Indian culture.

Union Home Minister said that during Prime Minister Modi's 11-year tenure, a significant qualitative change has taken place among our youth. He said that after 550 years, a towering temple of Lord Ram has been built in Ayodhya. The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, destroyed by Aurangzeb, sends a message to the entire world that the power of faith is far greater than those who seek to destroy. He said that it has recently been 1,000 years since the Somnath Temple was destroyed, and the Government of India is going to observe the entire year as ‘Somnath Swabhiman Varsh’. Somnath was destroyed 16 times and rebuilt 16 times, and those who destroyed it, like Ghazni and Khalji, have all vanished, but the eternal flag of Somnath still flies high today. Shri Shah said that Article 370 has been removed from Kashmir, the Mahakaleshwar Corridor has been constructed, the Kedarnath shrine has been restored, and the stretch at Badridham has been fully developed. He said that work is being considered on the revival and glorification of more than 35 pilgrimage sites across the country. Shri Shah said that there is now no opposition to education in the mother tongue. He added that when Prime Minister Modi speaks in Hindi anywhere in the world, the entire nation’s chest swells with pride. He said that more than 642 idols stolen from India and taken across the world have been brought back and reinstalled at their original locations. He said that for centuries, countless saints, even in the most difficult times, have safeguarded and nurtured religion, virtue, and culture, and that institution like the Gita Press and magazines such as ‘Kalyan’ have always kept the flame of Sanatan alive.

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