A living testament to power of knowledge

PATNA: A mid the cacophony of honking horns and hurried footsteps lies a nearly century-old library in the heart of Patna, the Shrimati Radhika Sinha Institute and Sachchidananda Sinha Library. The library was named after its founder Dr Sachchidananda Sinha, a scholar and the interim president of the Constituent Assembly that shaped the Indian Constitution, and his wife, who desired to have the library built.
It stands tall as a living testament to the power of knowledge even today. As the calendar inches closer to February 9, 2024, a momentous occasion looms — the celebration of the library’s centenary year. Within the library’s weathered halls, history comes alive. Its auditorium, witness to numerous historic meetings and conferences, still bears the echoes of the voices of freedom fighters like Jawaharlal Nehru, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, and Dr Rajendra Prasad. “With a donation of ₹50,000 by Radhika Sinha, and Dr Sinha’s contribution of his collection of around 10,000 books, this library, commonly known as Sinha library, was born. To further fuel its formation, Dr Sinha added an additional ₹50,000 for its establishment in 1924,” said Sunil Kumar, a senior advocate in the Supreme Court of India and the seniormost trustee of the library trust. A priceless collection of newspapers from the early 20th century, including Leader and Searchlight, old texts, journals, and gazettes offer glimpses into the past, connecting the present generation with the events that shaped the nation.
“It became a State Central Library in 1955 and is funded by the state government. The library is operated by the Smt Radhika Sinha Institute and Sachchidananda Sinha Library Trust. Presently, we have around 2,000 members and a digitized collection of newspapers from 1901 to 1979,” said librarian Anjay Kumar. The library houses around 1.75 lakh books. It also has over 400 Braille books, which are often accessed by students of the Blind School. However, the passage of time has taken its toll on the library, which now sits in a state of calm, patiently awaiting the financial resources required to bring back its former glory.
“The library has faced its share of challenges during the pandemic. Strong storms caused cracks in several windowpanes, and our shelves are in need of glass doors. While we have recently had one building painted, our focus now is on the old building, which holds our oldest texts,” Sunil Kumar said. “Our vision includes digitizing more of our collections and renovating the library further. While we have taken some steps towards these goals, there is still more to be done,” said library administrator D N Mishra. Even in its current state, the library continues to fulfill its mission. Everyday, around 100-150 aspiring bureaucrats in their 20s and early 30s from the city and beyond, along with researchers, pour through its doors, and stay from 10am to 6pm during summers and from 10am to 5pm during winters, seeking knowledge and guidance to shape their future.
The library also bears witness to moments of sweet celebration. As numerous members achieve success in competitive examinations, joy spreads through the air, prompting the distribution of sweets very often. “The atmosphere at this library is truly oneof-a-kind, unlike any other I have seen. It provides us with an abundance of reference books essential to our studies, meeting all our needs,” said Mamta Kumari, a PhD (philosophy) student of Patliputra University and a member of the library