“Pravin Prakashan", certainly a name to reckon with, not only in Rajkot and Saurashtra but also in the entire Gujarat, has presently been a unique Publishing House. In recent times, it has scaled new heights and also plumbed newer depths, both in developing and displaying and altogether new 'modus operand!' in so far as books, monographs and treatises can be published in Gujarati Language and Literature.

Gopalbhai Makadia, though originally a son of the soil, at Upleta. Cherished an humble yet noble ambition, since his child-hood to serve the people, at large, through the so-far un-groomed medium of printing and publishing. He was deeply impressed, while studying by the wise dictum of the celebrated English thinker Bacon : "Reading market a full man." A man of charming and charismatic personality, Gopalbhai, although

ever-exuding rare can dour and cordiality possesses astonishing qualities of verve and vitality, dash and drive. In fact, he has been an epitome of inimitable poise and pragmatism.

Gopalbhai richly deserves the credit for this epic-enterprise, because "Pravin Prakashan" could courageously undertake such a gigantic responsibility un-dogged and un-deterred, even when really reputed and economically quite sound and stable publishing institute of longstanding like "Gujarati Sahitya Akadami", "University Granth Nirman Board", "Gujarati Sahitya Parishad" and "Gujarat University", - to mention only a few, shuddered and had to frankly confess their inability!

This achievement of the "Pravin Prakashan" Assumes a larger meritorious magnitude, when one remembers that Late Maharaja Bhagvatsinhji of Gondal had appointed a top level committee of linguistic scholars of repute, who were required to work hard for 30 years.

A few comparatively minor, yet equally important facts, also, merits an emphatic mention, in connection with this publication : Firstly, it was certainly, a formidable challenge for "Pravin Prakashan", which it fearlessly accepted even though it was well aware that it was beyond its financial viabilities. Secondly, it nurtured a pious wish to see that this Encyclopedia goes within an easy reach of ordinary people, by sanctioning a special discount of rebate of Rs. 1000/- per each set thereof to all its purchasers. Thirdly, it has been one of the rarest honors for Gujarati language alone in the whole of India, no other language whereof has, so far, been able to claim such a pride of place. And fourthly, and more significantly, this extra-ordinary publication-feat, which was accomplished within a record-breaking short period of seven months only, invited the attention of some front-ranking Award-Presenting Boards of Gujarat, which vied with one another of felicitate Gopalbhai for attaining such an uncommon professional proficiency. Lastly, the prominent column-writers of all the newspapers and literary journals, also had warmly welcomed this publication.