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Retired worker honored for decades-long literacy mission
Anke Gowda, a 79-year-old retired sugar factory employee from Karnataka, India, received the Padma Shri-a national civilian award-for his lifelong effort to promote reading and education through a vast personal library.
The journey of a book collector
Gowda, raised in a farming family where books were scarce, developed a passion for reading early in life. Despite financial constraints, he spent his childhood savings on books, often prioritizing them over basic needs.
After working as a bus conductor, he followed a teacher's advice to pursue higher education, earning a postgraduate degree in Kannada before joining a sugar factory. For 33 years, he allocated two-thirds of his salary to expanding his book collection.
"Books were like candy to me," Gowda told the BBC. "I wanted others, especially those from rural areas, to have the same opportunity to read and learn."
A library built from passion and persistence
Gowda's collection, now housed in a 15,800 sq ft (1,467 sq m) building in Pandavapura, Karnataka, includes two million books spanning rare editions of the Bible to works on diverse subjects. The space, funded by a local philanthropist and later expanded with government support, operates without a formal librarian.
Books are stacked on shelves and piled in sacks-800,000 still await unpacking. Despite the apparent disarray, regular visitors, including students and teachers, navigate the collection with ease, often relying on Gowda's encyclopedic knowledge of its contents.
From humble beginnings to national recognition
Gowda's dedication to literacy began in his youth, inspired by stories of Indian freedom fighters and spiritual leaders. He initially stored books in trunks and shelves at home before a chance encounter with liquor baron Hari Khoday led to the construction of the library's first building.
Years later, a local lawmaker secured additional funding from the state government to expand the facility. Today, the library attracts visitors from across Karnataka, including academics like Ravi Bettaswami, an assistant professor who credits Gowda's work as inspiration for his own book collection.
A legacy for future generations
Though Gowda, his wife, and son live on the library premises-keeping it open daily-he acknowledges his physical limitations and hopes the government or public will preserve his life's work.
"I have fulfilled my responsibility. Now, it's up to others to carry it forward," he said.
Despite its unorthodox organization, the library remains a testament to one man's belief in the power of books to transform lives.
