R-Day Special: From Bus Conductor To Padma Awardee, How Anke Gowda Built India’s Largest Free Library

In a quiet village near Srirangapatna in Karnataka’s Mandya district stands a place where knowledge breathes freely. It is not a grand university or a government-funded institution, but Pustaka Mane, one of India’s largest free-access libraries. Behind this extraordinary space is Anke Gowda, a man whose life has been shaped entirely by books, sacrifice, and an unwavering belief that knowledge should belong to everyone.

Born into a farming family in Mandya district to Marigowda and Ningamma, Anke Gowda grew up with very limited access to books. Reading was not a habit easily available in his childhood. Yet, during his college years, his curiosity for learning was awakened and encouraged by his professor, Anantharamu. That encouragement planted a seed that would quietly transform his life, and the lives of countless others.

At just 20 years old, while working as a bus conductor, Gowda began collecting books. What started as a personal passion soon became a lifelong mission. Each book he gathered carried a purpose far beyond personal ownership. Even then, Gowda believed that books were meant to be shared, not stored away.

He later completed a Master’s degree in Kannada literature and went on to work at a sugar factory, where he spent nearly three decades. During these years, Gowda made a choice that defined his legacy, he spent nearly 80 per cent of his salary on books. His commitment went beyond financial comfort; at one point, he even sold his house in Mysuru to ensure the growing collection had space to survive.

That collection eventually evolved into Pustaka Mane, meaning “Book House,” located in Haralahalli village. Today, the library houses more than 20 lakh books across over 20 Indian and international languages. Its shelves carry literature, science, technology, philosophy, mythology, and history. Among its most valuable possessions are rare manuscripts dating back to 1832, nearly 5,000 dictionaries, and thousands of magazines and historical publications.

Despite the scale of the library, Gowda continues to personally clean, organise, and maintain the books every day. There is no commercial system, no entry fee, and no barriers. Knowledge is free, accessible, and alive.

Anke Gowda lives a remarkably simple life with his wife, Vijayalakshmi, inside the library premises. The couple sleeps on the floor and cooks in a small corner of the building, embodying a life of quiet sacrifice in service of a larger cause. Today, Gowda manages the library along with his son, Sagar, and they are working to formally structure the institution under the Anke Gowda Jnana Pratishthana foundation to preserve it for future generations.

In 2026, Anke Gowda’s decades of selfless dedication were nationally recognised when he was honoured with the Padma Award under the “Unsung Heroes” category. The recognition celebrates not just a man, but a lifetime spent protecting knowledge, promoting reading, and proving that individual passion can create institutions that outlive generations.

From a bus conductor with a love for books to the guardian of one of India’s greatest free libraries, Anke Gowda’s life is a reminder that true wealth lies not in what we own, but in what we share. His journey stands as a powerful testament to the idea that one person, driven by purpose and sacrifice, can preserve the intellectual soul of a nation.