Delhi Mayor appoints new management for Hardayal Public Library

Hardayal Public Library, the first public library in the national capital, situated in the Chandni Chowk area, on Wednesday witnessed the appointment of a new management committee, with Usha Sharma elected as Secretary and Arjun Pal Singh Marwah elected as Joint Secretary.

Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh lauded the selections as a key step forward for the development of one of the oldest community libraries in the city.

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Both candidates received unanimous approval for the designated positions. During the meeting, six other members were also nominated to look after the management of the library by the Delhi Mayor.

Appreciating the role of management in improving the infrastructure for reading and writing exercises for the general public, Singh congratulated each appointed member.

The history of the library dates back to 1862. Before being moved to its current location in Chandni Chowk in the heart of the capital, the library used to run from Kaccha Bagh, where it was known as Delhi Public Library.

More than a century ago, in 1916, it was moved to Chandni Chowk and named Hardinge Municipal Public Library, named after Lord Hardinge, the then Viceroy of India, following an attack on the Viceroy in Delhi.

After independence, in 1970, the library was renamed the Hardayal Municipal Public Library in memory of Lala Hardayal (1884–1939), the noted freedom fighter, nationalist, and revolutionary thinker who had deep connections with Delhi. It stands as one of Delhi’s richest repositories of knowledge, with an invaluable collection that bridges Mughal, colonial, and modern India.