The former president of the distinguished Gita Press in Gorakhpur, Radheshyam Khemka has been posthumously conferred with the Padma Vibhushan award in the field of literature and education.
Born in 1935 to a Marwari family in the Munger district of Bihar, Khemka moved to Kashi in 1956 before securing a Master of Arts from Banaras Hindu University. In 1982, he edited the first edition of Kalyan, the flagship magazine of Gita Press and served there for almost 40 years. The magazine has been published continuously since 1926.
Khemka’s contribution played an important role in the success of Gita press, which is the world’s largest publisher of Hindu religious books.
Under his editorship, 38 annual special issues and 460 monthly issues of Kalyan were published. By some estimates, the print circulation of Kalyan magazine had even reached 250,000 in 2012.
Khemka was known for bringing Sanatan Dharma and its literature to the masses. Throughout his life, he authored several articles and books which include Jivanacharya: The Indian Way of Life, Shiv Puran Katha Sar, Shakti Peeth Darshan, Karpatri-Swami Ek Jeevan Darshan, Sanskar Prakash, Ganesh Stotra Ratnakar, Matsya Purana Uttarardh, and Goseva (co-authored with Shri Hanuman Prasad Poddar).
After joining Gita Press, Khemka made Varanasi his home where he was associated with socio-religious organisations like the Marwari Seva Sangh, Mumukshu Bhawan, Birla Hospital Machodari, and Kashi Gaushala Trust. He also used to spent his time with saints like Swami Karpatri Maharaj, Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, Shankaracharya of Puri Swami Niranjan Dev Teerth, and the current Peethadheeshwar Swami Nischalananda
He had also established a ‘Veda Vidyalaya’ in Kashi for children in the age group of 8 to 12 years.
After a period of ill health, Khemka passed away at the age of 86 at his residence in Varanasi in April last year.
