Ankegowda, an extraordinary bibliophile from rural Karnataka, is set to receive the prestigious Padma Shri award from President Droupadi Murmu today.
Recognised under the ‘Unsung Heroes’ category, his national accolade celebrates an exceptional lifelong contribution to librarianship and the preservation of literary heritage. As the founder of Ankegowda Pustaka Mane (House of Books), he has built one of India’s largest free-access libraries, single-handedly turning a personal passion into a public treasury of over 15 lakh books.
Ankegowda’s journey began in financial hardship. Born in 1949 to a farming family in Pandavapura taluk, he was pulled from school after Class 5 to herd sheep. Undeterred, he relied on scholarships and meal assistance to clear his intermediate studies, eventually working as a bus conductor and factory foreman. His romance with books was ignited during his university days under an ‘Earn and Learn’ scheme, where he spent his meagre daily wages on literature.
For decades, Ankegowda dedicated nearly 60 per cent of his salary to books, filling his tiny house until it was a literal “bookworm’s paradise”. To nurture this massive archive, he took voluntary retirement from his secure government job. In 2005, corporate philanthropist Srihari Khoday stepped in to fund a dedicated library building. Today, supported by a resilient family who stood by him even when he sold household assets for books, his library is a recognised landmark featured in the Limca Book of Records.
Ankegowda’s monumental achievements come at a time when the act of reading is experiencing a powerful cultural renaissance. Against the backdrop of digital screen fatigue and endless doomscrolling, communities are actively reclaiming the slower, introspective joy of the written word.
This resurgence is vividly alive in Hyderabad as well. While iconic institutions like the historic State Central Library in Afzal Gunj continue to anchor deep-rooted literary traditions, the modern city is breaking out into a vibrant, social reading culture. A quiet revolution, interestingly led largely by women, has seen the rise of independent sanctuaries like Luna Bookstore in Jubilee Hills and Wild Geese Library in Nallagandla.
Simultaneously, grassroots book clubs are turning a solitary hobby into a lively community experience. Movements such as Hyderabad Reads draw hundreds of bibliophiles to KBR Park on weekends for silent, shared reading sessions. Curated groups like The Lit People Club and the Hyderabad Book Club organize book swaps and deep literary discussions. From Ankegowda’s remote village repository to the thriving park assemblies of Hyderabad, the story remains the same: a profound, collective reminder that human beings still crave the deep truth found within a page.
