Close to the banks of the Ganges, in Patna, stands the Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library a unique repository of about 21000 Oriental manuscripts and 2.5 lakh printed books. Though founded earlier, it was opened for public in October, 1891 by the illustrious son of Bihar Khan Bahadur Khuda Bakhsh with 4,000 manuscripts, of which he inherited 1,400 from his father Maulvi Mohammed Bakhsh. Khuda Bakhsh Khan donated his entire personal collection to the people of Patna by a deed of trust. Acknowledging the immense historical and intellectual value of its rich and valued collection, the Govt. of India declared the Library an Institution of National Importance by an act of Parliament in 1969. The Library is now fully funded by the Ministry of Culture (Govt. of India). This autonomous institution is being governed by a Board with the Governor of Bihar as its ex-officio Chairman and the responsibility of day-to-day management of Library affairs is entrusted to Director, Khuda Bakhsh Library.