Gorakhpur (UP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday attended the centenary celebrations of Gita Press in Gorakhpur and said that Gita Press is the only printing press in the world which is not just an organization but it is a living faith.
"Gita Press is the only printing press in the world, which is not just an organization but a living faith. Gita Press is not just a printing press but a temple to crores of people," PM Modi said.
He said Gita Press was conferred with Gandhi Peace Prize and said that "On the occasion of Gita Press completing its 100 years, our government has conferred Gita Press with Gandhi Peace Prize." "The spiritual light that illuminated here in the form of Gita Press in 1923, today its light is guiding the entire humanity," he said.
He further added that "100 years ago the colonial forces exploited India...our Gurukuls were destroyed. When our printing press was not able to reach every citizen due to its high cost...Gita Press became the guiding force...We all are blessed to witness this organisation's centenary celebrations."
PM Modi remembered Mahatma Gandhi's connection with Gita Press and said that "Gandhi Ji once used to write for Gita Press through Kalyan Patrika as he was emotionally attached to Gita Press." Prime Minister said that Gita Press is also proof that when your objectives are pure, your values are pure then success becomes synonymous with you.
"Today, India is reaching new heights of development...This is the time to be free from the mentality of slavery and take pride in our heritage," he added. He further asserted that from the moment he shared the photos of Gorakhpur Railway Station on social media, people were left amazed. They never imagined that a railway station could be developed in such a way. Established in 1923, Gita Press is one of the world's largest publishers, having published 41.7 crore books in 14 languages, including 16.21 crore Shrimad Bhagvad Gitas.
The statement issued by the Ministry of Culture said that the jury headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi unanimously decided to select Gita Press, Gorakhpur for the Gandhi Peace Prize.
Gandhi Peace Prize 2021 recognizes the important and unparalleled contribution of Gita Press in contributing to the collective uplift of humanity, which personifies Gandhian living in the true sense.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off Vande Bharat Express train in Gorakhpur and said that leaders from across the country are requesting Vande Bharat trains to be run from their region.
"...Vande Bharat train has given a new flight to the middle class of the country with facilities and amenities. Today, leaders from every corner of the country are writing letters to me asking that Vande Bharat be run from our region as well...", PM Narendra Modi said as he termed Vande Bharat as a boon to middle class society.
Gorakhpur, UP: Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, CEO, Railway Board on Vande Bharat train said, "...The timing of this train is convenient. This train will save two hours as compared to the fastest train on this route..." PM Modi was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and state Governor Anandiben Patel. The Prime Minister flagged off Gorakhpur - Lucknow Vande Bharat Express.
Gorakhpur-Lucknow Vande Bharat Express will connect the city of Baba Gorakhnath to the city of Lord Ram, Ayodhya and the city of Nawabs, Lucknow. Also, tourist places like Kushinagar, Siddharthnagar Sant Kabir Nagar, a town of the 15th-century mystic poet 'Kabir', will benefit from improved connectivity.
The forthcoming blue-and-white Gorakhpur-Lucknow Vande Bharat Express is a semi-high-speed train that would create a crucial link between the cities of Gorakhpur, also known as Baba Gorakhnath's city, and Lucknow, also known as the city of Nawabs. The state's first miniature version of the semi-high-speed train will have eight coaches, including seven with air conditioning and one with an executive chair car.
The Jodhpur-Sabarmati Vande Bharat Express will improve the connectivity between Rajputana and Ahmedabad, a City of Mahatma Gandhi. The train will connect Pali, Abu Road, Palanpur and Mehsana cities on the route.
This will benefit the important tourist sites in the historic cities of Jodhpur and Ahmedabad. The first Vande Bharat Express was flagged off on February 15, 2019, by the Prime Minister, running between New Delhi and Varanasi. Manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, the train set symbolizes the 'Make-In-India' initiative and showcases India's engineering prowess.
The project to manufacture indigenous semi-high-speed train sets began in mid-2017, and within 18 months, the ICF Chennai completed Train-18. India's first semi-high-speed train was renamed Vande Bharat Express in January 2019 to emphasize its made-in-India status. The train achieved a maximum speed of 180 kmph on the Kota-Sawai Madhopur section. (With agency Inputs)
