From KSRTC employee to ‘Akshara Yogi’: Mandya’s Ankegowda bags Padma Shri for lifelong service to books

The Centre has honoured Ankegowda of Haralahalli village in Mandya with the Padma Shri 2026 for his extraordinary contribution to literature and education through his world-renowned ‘Pustaka Mane’ library.

The Union Government has announced the Padma Awards for 2026, and Karnataka has one more reason to celebrate. Ankegowda, a noted book lover and education enthusiast from Haralahalli village in Pandavapura taluk of Mandya district, has been conferred the Padma Shri for his remarkable contribution to literature and education.

The honour recognises decades of selfless service by Ankegowda, who is widely known across the state as the “Akshara Yogi”. A former KSRTC employee, Ankegowda worked as a timekeeper and led a simple life, dedicating most of his earnings and time to collecting and preserving books.

Hailing from a rural background, Ankegowda developed a deep love for reading at a young age. Instead of spending on personal comforts, he invested his salary, savings and later his pension in building an extraordinary collection of books. Today, his home has transformed into the famous ‘Pustaka Mane’, a knowledge hub housing over 10 lakh books and magazines.

The library contains rare publications in Kannada, English, Hindi, Tamil and several other languages. It also preserves decades-old newspapers, magazines and valuable manuscripts, carefully maintained by Ankegowda. Researchers, students and literature lovers from across Karnataka and beyond regularly visit the library for academic and research purposes.

Despite receiving no government funding, Ankegowda has continued to sustain the library with personal resources. On several occasions, he even sacrificed personal living space to make room for books, with full support from his family. His only aim, he says, is to encourage reading habits among the younger generation.

Ankegowda’s contribution has earned him several recognitions earlier, including the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award. The Padma Shri 2026 now places his work on the national stage, bringing pride to Mandya district and Karnataka’s literary community.

The announcement has been welcomed by writers, scholars and the general public, who see the award as a tribute not just to one man, but to the enduring value of books and knowledge in society.