Culture
Gita Press Declines Cash Reward Of Rs 1 Crore That Comes With Gandhi Peace Prize
Swarajya Staff
Jun 19, 2023, 02:55 PM | Updated 02:55 PM IST
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Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur based Gita Press has refused to accept the Rs 1 crore cash reward that comes with Gandhi Peace Prize.
On Sunday (18 June), the jury headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi unanimously chose the Gorakhpur-based world's largest publisher of Hindu religious texts for the Gandhi Peace Prize 2021.
In a tweet, PM Modi congratulated Gita Press for the award and lauded the publisher for their "commendable work over the last 100 years towards furthering social and cultural transformations among the people.
According to an India Today report, the publisher on Monday (19 June() announced that they would only accept the citation and suggested that the government should spend the cash reward amount elsewhere.
Instituted by the government in 1995, the Gandhi Peace Prize is an annual award as a tribute to the ideals espoused by Mahatma Gandhi.
The award is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, language, caste, creed or gender.
The award carries a cash prize of Rs 1 crore, a citation, a plaque and an exquisite traditional handicraft/handloom item. The past awardees include organisations such as ISRO and Ramakrishna Mission, reports Hindustan Times.
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