Bengaluru's beloved iconic 'Select Bookshop' owner, KKS Murthy, dies at 94

Murthy continued to visit the shop until recently, but began showing signs of memory loss, a decline in appetite, and physical slowdowns.

KKS Murthy , the second-generation owner of the iconic Select Bookshop, passed away on Monday evening at the age of 94 due to age-related complications.

Murthy is survived by his 61-year-old son; his wife passed away eight years ago.(X/Katitra Debnath)

His son, K Sanjay, shared the news, adding that Murthy had been struggling with deteriorating health over the past three months, Deccan Herald reported.

Despite his condition, Murthy continued to visit the shop until recently, but began showing signs of memory loss, a decline in appetite, and physical slowdowns, the report added.

Murthy is survived by his 61-year-old son; his wife passed away eight years ago.

Select Bookshop, a beloved institution in Bengaluru, was originally founded in 1945 by Murthy’s father, KBK Rao, a lawyer. It began in a garage on Museum Road before moving to its current location off Brigade Road in 1984, when Murthy took over.

The Select Book Shop has a collection of 9,000 rare books — some of them from the 15th century.

Renouncing a promising career in aeronautical engineering, Murthy dedicated himself to managing the store, which became renowned for its collection of rare and vintage books.

Murthy spoke with childlike passion about what he called his “adventures in finding rare books” while he worked as an aeronautical engineer abroad.

“I used to buy rare books for my father’s shop from dealers, pavement shops, and auctioneers in France, US, Spain,” Murthy had once said.

While Murthy no longer went book hunting, he always said the reputation and sources he has built all over the world ensure that his rare books collection remains as good as ever.

His final rites will be conducted on Tuesday.