The founder of one of Chennai’s oldest private lending libraries – Ishwari Lending Library – Palani passed away on Friday. He was 84 years old.
His son P Satish Kumar said, “He spent the whole day yesterday in the library and returned home at 9 pm but he suddenly passed away this morning.”
Palani, a scrap dealer on Lloyds Road, started this venture in 1955 after someone asked for one of his books. “He agreed to pay a small fee to borrow a book from my father and thus the Ishwari Lending Library was started. From one branch, today we have nine and seven branches in gated communities with over 4.5 lakh books. He was very fond of reading and used to encourage others to read as well.
“His day used to start and end with the library. It meant the world to him. Now, my brother Saravanan and I will ensure that we run it the way he did and will continue till the end of our lives.”