Anke Gowda hails from Mandya district in Karnataka. He started his career as a bus conductor before going on to establish the world’s largest free-access library, Pustak Mane.
A passionate reader, Gowda turned his love for books into a public space where people of all ages and backgrounds can access knowledge. At 75, he has been awarded the Padma Shri for his efforts in promoting reading and making books widely available across India.
The library, named The Ankegowda Book House, is located in Haralahalli village near Mysuru. It houses over two million books in 20 languages, including rare manuscripts, around 500,000 rare foreign books, and 5,000 dictionaries. What makes it unique is that it is open to everyone who loves reading. Scholars, students, writers, civil service aspirants, and even Supreme Court judges visit the library to access its rich and diverse collection of research materials.
Gowda lives inside the library with his wife, Vijayalakshmi, fully dedicating his life to nurturing this treasure trove of knowledge.
