Summary:
AHMEDABAD: Popular perception puts them on two extreme ends of the ideological spectrum. Yet, Navajivan Press, founded by Mahatma Gandhi nearly 100 years ago, has printed books penned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Since March, Navajivan has printed 15,000 copies of ‘Exam Warriors’, a book where PM calls upon students to treat exams like a festival and get cracking by focusing on their studies, in Gujarati.Modi is only the third PM after Jawaharlal Nehru and Morarji Desai whose books have been printed by Bapu’s publication division.In order to avoid any conflict with its original objectives formulated by Gandhiji in 1919, Navajivan Mudranayalaya has set up a separate publication wing called the ‘Navajivan Samprat’ (Contemporary Navajivan) last year to print works of contemporary writers in Gujarati.Trustee of Navajivan Prakashan, Kapil Raval says the PM’s book is printed by Navajivan Samprat. “The book is not at all political in nature, and does not clash with Gandhiji’s thoughts.”Raval added that primary publication division Navajivan Mudranalaya continues to publish subject wise writings of Gandhiji, memoirs of Bapu’s coworkers, diaries and publications depicting various facets of Gandhiji’s personality and his thoughts.The largest order of 4,500 copies of this book was placed by Hiramani school’s trustee Narhari Amin, a former Congressman who shifted his loyalties to BJP in December 2012.A senior official at Navajivan Trust told TOI that Navajivan Samprat, apart from Modi’s books has printed works by popular Gujarati writers Gunvant Shah, poet Madhav Ramanuj’s collected work, humorist Vinod Bhatt works in Hindi and complete works of renowned Gujarati ghazal writer, Mariz.“Navajivan Mudranalaya has even printed bus tickets for Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Services (AMTS) apart from Gandhiji’s works,” said the Navajivan official..