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Padma Awards 2026: Changemakers receive national recognition
Anke Gowda, recognized with the Padma Shri, built India’s largest free library, alongside other Karnataka awardees for their impactful contributions.
For decades, Anke Gowda spent his days punching bus tickets and his nights collecting books, slowly assembling what would become one of India’s largest free-access libraries. On Sunday that lifelong devotion to knowledge earned him national recognition, as the Union government announced the Padma Shri awards for 2026.
Gowda is among three recipients from Karnataka named this year, alongside Dr Suresh Hanagavadi, a physician who transformed hemophilia care in the state, and Dr SG Sushilamma, a social worker whose initiatives for women and children span nearly half a century.
A total of 8 people from Karnataka were honoured with Padma Awards this year for their contributions across diverse fields. Shatavadhani R Ganesh received the Padma Bhushan in recognition of his distinguished work. Among the Padma Shri awardees from the state were Prabhakar Kore, Shashi Shekhar Vempati, and Shubha Venkatesh Iyengar. TT Jagannath was also awarded the Padma Shri posthumously for his contributions to commerce and industry.
Now 75, Anke Gowda began collecting books at the age of 20 while working as a bus conductor. Born to a farming family in Mandya district, he grew up with limited access to reading material. His interest in books deepened during college, encouraged by his professor, Anantharamu.
Over the years, Gowda amassed books relentlessly, later earning a master’s degree in Kannada literature and working for nearly 30 years at a sugar factory. During that time, he spent about 80% of his salary on books. To expand his collection, he eventually sold his house in Mysuru.
The result is Pustaka Mane, or “Book House,” located in Haralahalli village near Srirangapatna in Mandya. Spread across land in rural Karnataka, the library houses more than 2 million books in over 20 Indian and foreign languages, covering literature, science, technology, philosophy, mythology and history.
The collection includes rare manuscripts dating back to 1832, nearly 5,000 dictionaries, and thousands of magazines and historical publications. Despite limited staff and resources, Gowda personally cleans, sorts and maintains the library every day.
He now lives within the library premises with his wife, Vijayalakshmi, sleeping on the floor and cooking in a small corner of the building. Along with his son, Sagar, he is working to organise the growing collection under the Anke Gowda Jnana Pratishthana foundation. The library’s scale has been recorded in the Limca Book of Records.
Another Karnataka awardee, Dr Suresh Hanagavadi, a professor of pathology at JJM Medical College in Davangere, has spent nearly four decades improving the lives of people with hemophilia — a condition he himself has lived with.
Dr Hanagavadi founded the Karnataka Hemophilia Society in Davangere and has treated patients from across the state, travelling extensively to expand access to care. With support from public contributions, philanthropists and the government, he helped ensure that costly hemophilia medicines are provided free of charge at government district hospitals across Karnataka.
He also played a key role in establishing a comprehensive Hemophilia Treatment Centre in Davangere, bringing care for inherited blood disorders under one roof. The society’s work received support from several quarters, including the late playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam.
Reacting to the announcement, Dr Hanagavadi described the award as unexpected.
“This is the result of our nearly four decades of efforts to get recognition for hemophilia at the national level,” he said. “I am hopeful that this award would help hemophilics get quality healthcare across the country.”
The third Karnataka recipient, Dr SG Sushilamma, has been engaged in social service since 1975, focusing on the welfare of women and children. She founded the Sumangali Sevashram, which runs programmes ranging from children’s libraries and spiritual education to self-employment initiatives for destitute women.
Her work also includes community development projects and campaigns against alcoholism and female foeticide. In 1987, she launched the Children’s Union, aimed at nurturing leadership and civic awareness among young people.
Dr Sushilamma has received two honorary doctorates and an international award from Japan for her contributions to environmental protection.
