A Modest Beginning with a Grand Dream
At just 20 years old, while working as a bus conductor, Anke Gowda from Haralahalli village near Mysuru began a journey that would one day make him the custodian of nearly two million books. Born into a humble farming family in Mandya district, his childhood offered little access to books. But a professor’s encouragement and his own hunger for knowledge changed his life forever.
Lifelong Passion for Books
Over the years, Anke Gowda poured nearly 80% of his income into buying books—often by the truckload. He even sold his house in Mysuru to expand his growing collection. His passion was never for personal gain, but to make knowledge accessible to all. His three-decade-long career at a sugar factory supported his dream. Every spare rupee went into buying books—from rare foreign volumes to regional manuscripts.
Welcome to Pustaka Mane – The House of Books
Today, Anke Gowda’s massive personal library, lovingly called Pustaka Mane (Book House), stands as a living monument to learning. Built on 22 guntas of land with support from industrialist Sri Hari Khoday, it holds:
- Over 500,000 rare foreign books
- 5,000+ dictionaries
- Manuscripts dating back to 1832
- Books in 20+ languages, including Kannada, Sanskrit, English, and other international languages
Library Without Walls
What makes Pustaka Mane truly extraordinary is its openness:
- No membership
- No fees
- No restrictions
From students and researchers to IAS aspirants and even Supreme Court judges, everyone is welcome. It’s a rare, inclusive space where knowledge is free, as it should be.
Family Mission
Anke Gowda isn’t alone in this mission. His wife, Vijayalakshmi, and son, Sagar, are his devoted companions. They live inside the library, cook in a corner, and sleep on the floor—all to protect and maintain the treasure trove of knowledge they’ve built. Together, they sort, clean, and preserve the books, even as 250+ bags of uncatalogued books await attention. The family now hopes to receive support for digitisation, to safeguard this priceless collection for future generations.
“I wanted to make knowledge accessible to everyone, no matter who they are”. (Anke Gowda)