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Harekala Hajabba, the orange seller who set up school for underprivileged, chosen for Padma Shri 2020

News Network
January 25, 2020

Mangaluru, Jan 25: Orange vendor Harekala Hajabba, popularly known as 'Akshara Santha' (the saint of alphabets), who went on to build a school at Newpadpu village on the city’s outskirts in 1999 is among this year’s Padma Shri awardees.

When Hajabba received the call on being nominated for the award, he was standing in a queue to buy rations.

As he is not fluent in Hindi, Hajabba handed over the phone to an auto driver, who conveyed the news that the Padma Shri award will be conferred on him.

The unlettered achiever set up a primary school from his meagre savings of Rs 150 per day,  selling oranges in Mangaluru. 

“The first time I felt bad for being an illiterate was when a foreigner enquired about the price of oranges in English. I did not know what he meant. So, I decided to start a school in my village,” Hajabba had said during a felicitation programme.

When Hajabba decided to start a school, he did not get any support. He started the school with 28 children.

The school today has been upgraded to a composite high school and is catering to the educational needs of hundreds of children in and around Newpadpu.

He ran from pillar to post in the Zilla Panchayat to make his dream come true. All cash awards he had received went into building the school. The United Christians Association, moved by the sight of his dilapidated house, built a 760-square-foot house costing Rs 15 lakh for him. 

Hajabba’s life was prescribed for the syllabus of three universities - Davangere, Kuvempu and Mangalore. His success story is also included in a Tulu textbook.

He won the Karnataka Rajyotsava award in 2013, Real Heroes award from TV channel CNN-IBN.

Hajabba, when contacted, said he could not believe his ears when told about the award.

New dreams

The frail vendor, in his 60s, humbly declared that he could achieve all this because of the support of all. Hajabba now dreams of upgrading the school into a full-fledged PU college.

Comments

Meethal Kasaragod
 - 
Sunday, 26 Jan 2020

A big Salute to him!

Great effort,

fairman
 - 
Sunday, 26 Jan 2020

Where there is will, there is way

May God help him.

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News Network
April 28,2020

Mangaluru, Apr 28:  Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner, Sindhu B Rupesh on Tuesday announced a relaxation in the sealed down parts of the district.

Seal-down in Bantwal's Sajipanadu, Belthangady Taluk's Karaya and Sullia Taluk's Ajjavara have been relaxed, he said.

The move comes on the backdrop of the fact that no positive cases have been reported in these places and all the primary and secondary contacts of the patients have completed their quarantine period.

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News Network
May 11,2020

Bengaluru, May 11: Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar today held a video conference with Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja to discuss measures to tackle COVID-19.

The ministers discussed in detail the protocols for testing, quarantine and treatment for COVID-19 that are being followed by both the states.

The Karnataka Health Department on Monday said that 10 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the state, taking the total number of positive cases to 858.

"31 people have lost their lives due to coronavirus in the state and 422 persons have been discharged after recovery," the Health Department added.

Kerala, on the other hand, has tackled the coronavirus crisis better than most other states of the country. There are only 19 active cases of COVID-19 in the state while 489 people have recovered. The death toll in the state is 4, according to the data published by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday.

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News Network
January 11,2020

Mangaluru, Jan 11: CISF officials detained a passenger at Mangaluru International Airport here and seized from him currencies of foreign countries worth about Rs five lakh here on Saturday.

Official sources said that the passenger, identified as Shahul Hameed Theruvath, was supposed to take the Spice jet flight SG 059 for Dubai.

During the X BIS screening process, CISF officials noticed some suspicious image in Shahul’s hand baggage.

The thorough check of bag revealed foreign currencies of various countries worth Rs 5.48 lakh. The seized currencies were 76 US dollars of 100 denomination, Chinese Yuan, Malaysian Ringgits and Turkish Lira of smaller denomination. The currencies that were in his possession did not have any legal permission.

The personnel handed over the foreign currency recovered and the passenger to Customs officials for further inquiry.

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