Anke Gowda M.

In a village in Karnataka’s Mandya district stands a house given over almost entirely to books. Its owner, Anke Gowda M., has spent fifty years and nearly all his income filling it. In 2026 he was named for the Padma Shri in the field of social work, from Karnataka ^[1].

A reader’s habit

Anke Gowda was born on 8 January 1949 in Chinakuruli village, Pandavapura taluk ^[2]. He holds a master’s degree in Kannada literature and worked for 32 years as a time officer at the Pandavapura cooperative sugar factory, taking voluntary retirement in 2005 ^[2]. His love of collecting books began in his college days ^[2].

The House of Books

Over five decades he has gathered more than 20 lakh books, paid for out of his own earnings ^[2]. They span Kannada, English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and other languages, and subjects from history and philosophy to science and music ^[2].

The collection fills his home, known as “Pustakada Mane” (House of Books), which runs as a free library ^[2]. Students, researchers, people preparing for competitive exams and anyone else may use it without charge ^[2]. There are no paid staff; he looks after the books with his family and still lives among them ^[2].

The Limca Book of Records recognised the collection in 2017, and he received the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award in 2014 ^[2]. The state government has also helped with space for the growing collection ^[2].