Gandhi Peace Prize

• 19 Jun 2023

Why in News?

Gita Press, Gorakhpur, a 100-year-old institution that publishes Hindu religious texts and promotes Gandhian ideals of peace and social harmony, has been awarded the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 by the Government of India.

• The prize was announced by the Ministry of Culture.

What is the Gandhi Peace Prize?

• About:
  • Gandhi Peace Prize Awards for Social, Economic and Political transformation through Non-violence was instituted in the year 1995, on the occasion of the 125^th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, as a tribute to his ideals and contributions to humanity.
• Reward:
  • The award carries an amount of Rs 1 crore, a citation, a plaque and a traditional handicraft or handloom item.
    • The award is conferred by the President of India at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• Consideration:
  • This award is given to individuals, associations, institutions or organizations who have worked selflessly for peace, non-violence and amelioration of human sufferings.
  • The award is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, language, caste, creed or gender.
  • The Award may be divided between two persons / institutions who are considered by the Jury to be equally deserving of recognition in a given year.
    • Work by a person since deceased cannot be the subject of an Award. If, however, his death occurred subsequent to a proposal having been submitted to the Jury(headed by the Prime Minister) in the manner stipulated in the Code of Procedure, then a Posthumous Award may be made.
• Previous Awardees:
  • Organizations: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Ramakrishna Mission, Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, Vivekananda Kendra, Akshaya Patra, Ekal Abhiyan Trust, Sulabh International
  • Luminaries: Nelson Mandela, Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said, Oman (2019) and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh (2020).

Gita Press

• Established in 1923 by Jaya Dayal Goyandka and Hanuman Prasad Poddar, Gita Press is one of the world’s largest publishers of Hindu religious texts, having published 41.7 crore books in 14 languages, including 16.21 crore copies of Shrimad Bhagvad Gita.
• Gita Press also runs a monthly magazine called Kalyan, which covers topics such as spirituality, culture, history, ethics and morality.
  • It also runs a charitable hospital called Kalyan Chikitsalaya in Gorakhpur, which provides free medical services to the poor and needy.

Mahatma Gandhi

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Prelims

Q1. Who among the following is associated with ‘Songs from Prison’, a translation of ancient Indian religious lyrics in English? (2021)

(a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
(b) Jawaharlal Nehru
(c) Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
(d) Sarojini Naidu

Ans: (c)

Q2. With reference to the British colonial rule in India, consider the following statements: (2019)

1. Mahatma Gandhi was instrumental in the abolition of the system of ‘indentured labour’.
2. In Lord Chelmsford’s ‘War Conference’, Mahatma Gandhi did not support the resolution on recruiting Indians for World War.
3. Consequent upon the breaking of Salt Law by Indian people, the Indian National Congress was declared illegal by the colonial rulers.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (b)

Source: IE