In an age dominated by smartphones and fleeting digital content, 75-year-old Anke Gowda has quietly dedicated his life to preserving the world of books. From working as a humble bus conductor in Karnataka to becoming the creator of one of India’s largest free-access libraries, Gowda’s journey is a remarkable story of sacrifice, passion and lifelong devotion to knowledge.
This is why Modi Govt is special.
Shri Anke Gowda, a retired bus conductor, built Pustaka Mane, a free public library in Pandavapura housing nearly 2 million books
The unsung hero gets recognized with Padma Shri Award of 2026. pic.twitter.com/sP5dJqVzCA
— Karthik Reddy (@bykarthikreddy) May 25, 2026
Recognised in the 2026 Padma Awards under the “Unsung Heroes” category, Anke Gowda has spent more than five decades building a library unlike any other, not funded by corporations or governments, but by personal sacrifice, relentless effort and an unshakable belief that knowledge should belong to everyone.
Pustaka Mane: A Temple of Knowledge in Rural Karnataka
Nestled in Haralahalli village near Srirangapatna in Karnataka’s Mandya district stands Pustaka Mane, which literally translates to “Book House.” Far more than a conventional library, it is a living archive of human knowledge.
Spread across a vast space lined floor-to-ceiling with books, Pustaka Mane houses more than 20 lakh books collected over decades. The collection spans more than 20 Indian and foreign languages and covers subjects ranging from literature, philosophy and mythology to science, technology, politics and history.
What makes the library especially significant is its rare collection of manuscripts and historical publications. Some manuscripts date back to 1832, making the library an invaluable repository of cultural and intellectual heritage. It also contains nearly 5,000 dictionaries, thousands of magazines and numerous rare journals that are difficult to find even in major institutional libraries. Despite the sheer scale of the collection, the library remains free and accessible to all.
A Childhood Without Books
Born to Marigowda and Ningamma in a farming family in Mandya district, Anke Gowda grew up with limited access to education and books. Resources were scarce, and reading material was difficult to obtain in rural Karnataka during those years.
Ironically, it was this scarcity that strengthened his desire to read and learn. During his college days, a professor named Anantharamu recognised Gowda’s interest in literature and encouraged him to cultivate the habit of reading. That encouragement would ultimately shape the course of his life.
At the age of 20, while working as a bus conductor, Gowda began purchasing and collecting books whenever he could afford them. What started as a personal hobby slowly transformed into a lifelong mission.
Building a Library Through Personal Sacrifice
Unlike large collectors backed by institutions or wealth, Anke Gowda built his collection through sheer determination and personal sacrifice.
After completing a Master’s degree in Kannada literature, he worked at a sugar factory for nearly 30 years. During this period, he reportedly spent almost 80 per cent of his salary on buying books. Instead of investing in luxury or comfort, Gowda invested in knowledge.
His commitment became even more extraordinary over time. To expand the library, he sold his house in Mysuru and redirected the money toward acquiring and preserving books. Every rupee he earned was treated as a contribution toward a larger dream.
Today, Gowda and his wife, Vijayalakshmi, live a remarkably simple life within the library premises. The couple reportedly sleeps on the floor and cooks meals in a small corner of the building. Their lifestyle reflects not poverty, but a conscious choice to dedicate everything they have toward sustaining the library.
A One-Man Mission to Preserve Knowledge
Even at 75, Anke Gowda continues to personally maintain the library. He cleans books, arranges shelves, sorts manuscripts and ensures the collection remains preserved despite limited manpower and resources.
Visitors to Pustaka Mane often describe the library as overwhelming in scale and deeply emotional in spirit. Every shelf reflects decades of hard work, discipline and sacrifice.
What distinguishes Gowda’s mission is not merely the size of the collection, but the philosophy behind it. He believes books are not possessions to be locked away but treasures to be shared freely with society.
In a time when libraries across the world struggle with declining readership and financial challenges, Pustaka Mane stands as a rare example of a community-driven knowledge movement sustained entirely by passion.
Preserving the Legacy for Future Generations
Anke Gowda now manages the library with the support of his son, Sagar. Together, they are working to systematically organise and preserve the massive collection under the banner of the Anke Gowda Jnana Pratishthana foundation. Their goal is not merely to maintain the library but to ensure that future generations continue to benefit from unrestricted access to books and knowledge.
The recognition through the Padma Awards has brought national attention to Gowda’s extraordinary contribution, but his work has always been larger than awards or recognition. For more than 50 years, he has quietly demonstrated how one individual’s dedication can create a lasting cultural institution.
The story of Anke Gowda is not simply about books. It is about vision, perseverance and the transformative power of knowledge. At a time when success is often measured through wealth and visibility, Gowda’s life offers a different definition of achievement, one built on service, learning and preservation of collective memory. From a bus conductor carrying passengers across Karnataka to the guardian of one of India’s largest free libraries, Anke Gowda has shown that extraordinary institutions can emerge from ordinary beginnings when driven by passion and purpose. His journey serves as an inspiration not only to readers and scholars but to anyone who believes that individual effort can still change society in meaningful ways.
