This Kochi newspaper agent is donating his treasure trove of 10,000 books

Kochi native P K Singh’s love for books knows no bounds, as he has over 10,000 books in his collection. However, this 76-year-old is now donating the books to libraries and children as a noble mission to spread knowledge and promote a reading habit among children. Despite having only completed his tenth standard education, it was his insatiable thirst for acquiring knowledge that made him start buying books at the age of 13.

A newspaper agent for years who has settled with his wife Omana at Chakkaraparambu in Kochi, Singh has made it his life’s mission to share the gift of learning with the youth of our society. From literature to science, history to philosophy, he amassed a diverse collection, each volume holding the promise of discovery and enlightenment. Singh started donating his rare book collections to ensure that the treasure he collected over the years, spending his hard-earned money, could be useful to the coming generations.

“I have a lot of extremely difficult-to-find books from history and biography genres. I don’t want to see these books gather dust on my shelves. They deserve to be cherished and enjoyed by new generations. I have donated a lot to libraries and enterprising children who really wanted to acquire knowledge. I feel truly happy that the knowledge is being shared when I donate my small collection to libraries and kids,” Singh told “Open Digest.”

For Singh, the joy of seeing young minds light up with curiosity and wonder is the greatest reward of all. He believes that access to education should not be limited by socio-economic status or academic pedigree but should be a fundamental right afforded to all.

“Children will be able to think beyond the box when they read and share the knowledge, which will make them more compassionate and socially responsible human beings,” he added. Singh is of the opinion that children should be motivated to read more books and dissuaded from spending time on screens. “Books have the power to take us to new worlds and spark our imaginations. It helps the children to develop a wider perspective on the world,” he added.