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79-Year-Old Builds 2 Million-Book Library, Promotes Literacy

2/7/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Anke Gowda, a 79-year-old retired sugar factory worker from Karnataka, built a library of two million books over five decades in Pandavapura.
He received the Padma Shri for promoting literacy.
The collection lacks formal organization and is stacked haphazardly, yet students, parents, and teachers navigate it.
Gowda and his family live in a corner of the library, which stays open daily and continues to grow through purchases and donations.

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Story summary

Anke Gowda, a 79-year-old retired sugar factory worker from Karnataka, built a library of two million books over five decades in Pandavapura.
He received the Padma Shri for promoting literacy.
The collection lacks formal organization and is stacked haphazardly, yet students, parents, and teachers navigate it.
Gowda and his family live in a corner of the library, which stays open daily and continues to grow through purchases and donations.