Gita Press

What Gita Press does

Gita Press, founded in 1923 by Brahmalina Shri Jayadayalji Goyandka and headquartered in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, is a non-profit publisher recognized as the world's largest publisher of Hindu religious texts. It operates as a unit of Gobind Bhawan Karyalaya, registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, and is governed by a Governing Council. The core catalogue spans the Bhagavad Gita (16.21 Crore cumulative copies), Ramayana, Upanishads, Puranas, Tulsidas literature (11.73 Crore), Balupyogi Pusthak (11.09 Crore), divine saint discourses, and the monthly Kalyan magazine, supported by an archive of more than 3,500 manuscripts including over 100 interpretations of the Bhagwad Gita.

The product surface is intentionally unified across print and digital: physical books sold at subsidized prices via gitapress.org, a dedicated e-book platform distributed in multiple languages, and a branded mobile application on Google Play and Apple App Store. A searchable online catalogue with category, language, and availability filters surfaces the 3,000+ title collection. Distribution is direct-to-consumer and global, with no reliance on third-party retail.

The business model is a non-profit, mission-driven publishing operation. Gita Press does not solicit donations or accept advertisements in its publications; surpluses are sustained by revenues from sales and other service departments of the parent society, which funds continuation of subsidized pricing. The institution serves the general public and devotees seeking affordable access to Hindu scriptures for spiritual study, religious reading, and character building.

Name

Gita Press

Legal name

Gita Press (A unit of Gobind Bhawan Karyalaya)

Website

https://gitapress.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Gita Press is a 100-year-old, non-profit Hindu religious text publisher in Gorakhpur, India, producing and selling subsidized print books, the monthly Kalyan magazine, e-books, and mobile applications to devotees and the general public globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Periodical Publishers (513120), Book Publishers (51313)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Sacred Texts & Scripture Publishing (Bibles, Qur’ans, Vedas, Torah, Sutras) (MPAJAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Religious Children’s Publishing (Faith-Based Kids & YA) (MPAJAHAJ), Religious Education & Catechetical Publishing (Sunday School, Catechism, Study Guides) (MPAJAHAC), Religious Fiction & Inspirational Literature Publishing (MPAJAHAF), Religious Reference & Study Tools Publishing (Commentaries, Concordances, Lexicons) (MPAJAHAL)

Keywords

• Hindu religious publishing
• Scripture books printing
• Spiritual literature publications
• Devotional magazines circulation
• E-book religious platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Gorakhpur

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Gita Press publishes and sells Hindu religious texts and spiritual literature at highly subsidized prices under the non-profit aegis of Gobind Bhawan Karyalaya. Its portfolio includes printed books of the Shrimad Bhagwat Gita, Ramayana, Upanishads, Puranas, Balupyogi Pusthak, Tulsidas literature, the Kalyan monthly magazine, and discourses of eminent saints, distributed via its own e-commerce website, e-book platform, and Android/iOS mobile applications to a global audience.

Product overview

Gita Press is the world's largest publisher of Hindu religious texts, operating as a unit of Gobind Bhawan Karyalaya. The company offers a unified portfolio of print and digital religious publications, including the Bhagavad Gita (Shrimad Bhagwat Gita with 16.21 Cr copies), Ramayana, Upanishads, Puranas, and the Kalyan monthly magazine. The core product line is complemented by Divine Saints publications featuring saint discourses, and digital offerings through E-Books and a mobile application available on Google Play and App Store. The company archives over 3,500 manuscripts including 100+ interpretations of the Bhagwad Gita, with over 3,000+ online collections. Products are marketed at highly subsidized prices to promote principles of Sanatana Dharma.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hindu Religious Books (Print) Physical printed books including the Shrimad Bhagwat Gita, Ramayana, Upanishads, Puranas, Balupyogi Pusthak, and Tulsidas literature, marketed at highly subsidized prices for individual devotees, families, and scholars.
• Kalyan Magazine Monthly publication featuring spiritual content and religious teachings, distributed in English and Hindi, with new issues added every month to the online catalogue.
• Divine Saints Publications Printed publications featuring discourses and teachings of eminent Hindu saints and spiritual leaders for character building among general readers.
• E-Books Digital versions of Gita Press publications available on a dedicated e-book platform for online reading in multiple languages across web and mobile.
• Gita Press Mobile App Official Gita Press mobile application available on Google Play and the Apple App Store that lets users browse, purchase, and read Gita Press publications on Android and iOS devices.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Aditya Prakashan: New Delhi-based publisher of Hindu religious texts, Vedic literature, and Sanskrit academic works. A direct niche peer competing for institutional and devotee buyers of scriptures and commentaries.
• Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (ISKCON): Global publishing arm of ISKCON distributing Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Srimad Bhagavatam, and other Vaishnava texts in 80+ languages. Competes directly with Gita Press in the Hindu scripture retail channel worldwide.
• Chaukhamba Sanskrit Sansthan: Varanasi-based publisher specialising in Sanskrit religious texts, Vedas, Upanishads, and Hindu scriptures. Closely matches Gita Press's core product line and North Indian publishing footprint.
• Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission: Publishes the writings of Swami Vivekananda, the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, and Vedanta literature through Advaita Ashrama. A direct peer in devotional Hindu publishing and periodical (Prabuddha Bharata) distribution.
• Motilal Banarsidass: One of the world's leading publishers of Hindu religious, Sanskrit, and Indological texts, based in Delhi. Directly comparable to Gita Press as a specialist publisher of Vedic scriptures, Upanishads, and devotional literature sold globally.
• Sri Aurobindo Ashram Publication Department: Publishes the complete works of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother in multiple languages. Comparable to Gita Press as a long-established Indian spiritual/religious publishing house with global distribution and translation programmes.

Broad incumbents

• HarperCollins India: Large Indian publisher with religious, mythology, and devotional non-fiction imprints (including HarperCollins Hindu mythology series). Overlaps with Gita Press in Hindu scripture-adjacent trade titles.
• Om Books International: Indian publisher with religious, spiritual, mythology, and children's books across multiple languages. Overlaps with Gita Press on Balupyogi-style children's religious titles and devotional compendiums.
• Roli Books: Indian publisher of illustrated religion, culture, and spirituality titles including devotional and scripture-related works. Comparable as a multi-format publisher with both retail and gifting channels in the same devotional category.
• Penguin Random House India: Major trade publisher in India with a growing spiritual and religion catalogue, including translations of Hindu texts and mythology. A broad incumbent competitor for shelf space, e-book retail, and Hindi-language religious readers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GitaPress
• Facebookfacebook.com/gitapress1923
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gitapress

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gita Press