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 ...

For over fifty years, Gowda channelled his passion into Pustak Mane, a vast, free-access library built on the foundation of ...

Anke Gowda, a former Bengaluru bus conductor, won the Padma Shri for building Pustaka Mane, the world’s largest free-access ...

Once a bus conductor, Gowda built one of India’s largest free-access libraries, Pustaka Mane, entirely through sacrifice and ...

Gowda, founder of one of India’s largest free-access libraries, is among three Padma Shri awardees from Karnataka this year, ...

Anke Gowda, once a bus conductor, set up the worlds largest free-access library, Pustak Mane, comprising more than two million books in 20 languages, along with rare manuscripts.

Anke Gowda, a 75-year-old former bus conductor from Karnataka, has been awarded the Padma Shri 2026 for creating Pustak Mane, Indias largest free-access library. Housing over two million books in 20 ...