Thank you UCA: 'Saint of Letters' Harekala Hajabba enters new house

[email protected] (CD Network | Photos by Suresh)
February 8, 2016

Mangaluru, Feb 8: "I never dreamt of living in a house that is worth Rs 15 lakh in my life. Today I am extremely happy, thankful and I pray for the well-being of the donor, who built a house for me," said Harekala Hajabba, 61, who is popularly known as 'Akshara Santha' or 'Saint of Letters'

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Despite being an uneducated, Hajabba fought tirelessly to build built a government school at Newpadpu in Harekala about 20 kms here by pooling money he earned and by seeking donors help. However, he had forgotten to build a house for his wife and three children. Hajabba was worried about his family very much, but he never showed it to others. At this juncture, the United Christian Association (UCA) has come forward to build 760 sqft house at a cost of Rs 15 lakh for Hajabba. On Sunday, a house warming ceremony was held in the presence of Muslim clergies, UCA president Alban Menezes, Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and minister for health and family welfare U T Khader.

"I am an ordinary man and I have not earned a single rupee for myself. On September 13, 2004, there were no chairs in my house when four journalists came to talk to me about my struggle for a school in my village. Now I own this houses only because of media persons and organisations like United Christian Association," said Hajabba, who left no stones unturned to start a government school in his village and later to construct a new block for it.

Hajabba, who has been selling orange near State Bank bus stand, was literally struggling to meet both ends at his partially damaged tiled roof house, where five member family with ailing wife were living. In fact, it is the initiative of UCA president Alban Menezes, a young builder in the city, that led to construction of a two bed room RCC house for Hajabba.

"I understood the problems of Hajabba when he was admitted to hospital. Doctors, who treated Hajabba, told me that he was suffering from anxiety due to poverty. I felt really sad when I saw a great achiever suffering from poverty and living in a dilapidated house. Hence, I decided to construct a house for him through UCA. While nearly 1.5 lakh was collected through UCA members, I spent nearly Rs 13.5 lakh. Very soon, I will provide compound wall and gate for his house spending additional Rs 2 lakh," said Alban Menezes, who had donated many houses and did several charity works earlier.

Menezes said that a separate space has been provided in the new house for Hajabba to display all awards, citations and mementos he received during his journey as a crusader of education.

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Comments

Ahmed Bava
 - 
Tuesday, 9 Feb 2016

Congratulations UCA President Mr. Alban Menezes and Members really great work done by you for a Great person Mr.HAJABBA. HUMANBEING

A.Ullal
 - 
Tuesday, 9 Feb 2016

We admire you. sir.. I am proud that my fellow countryman have done great contribution towards education. Where he built school for kids when kids reach of school was far at site.
He is a role model for us.

A.Ullal
 - 
Tuesday, 9 Feb 2016

We admire you. sir.. I proud that my fellow countryman done grate contribution towards education. Were he build school for kids when kids reach of school is far at site.
He is role model for us.

rikaz
 - 
Monday, 8 Feb 2016

I hope because of this house he can keep up his health and serve more and better to poorer section of the society.

Government should think of giving him pension monthly basis...and I think it's not right time for him to go in the heat of sun and work and bring money for his social work as well his family...

Sherief
 - 
Monday, 8 Feb 2016

Mr.Alban Menezes and UCA's generous contribution in the form of donating new built home to Akshara Santha Janab Hajabba is truly appreciable. Your donation of a house is an inspiration to all of us. I hat's off for your generosity and commitment for helping the society is sincerely appreciated.

ABUL
 - 
Monday, 8 Feb 2016

Great job and highly praisable noble work by UCA. Bieng a muslim community memeber Janab Hajabba never recognised by his own community people where he stays with many muslim millionaires surroundings.
Hats off once again UCA.Keep it up

Muzaffar Ali
 - 
Monday, 8 Feb 2016

Congratulations ... UCA
Very Good deed by UCA

IBRAHIM.HUSSAIN
 - 
Monday, 8 Feb 2016

It is praise worthy that UCA and Alban understood the pain of Hajabba and built a house for this Akshara Santha. At the same time it is unfortunate, millionaire Muslim people, charity institutions around his area neither understood this Akshara Santha, nor his pitiful life in a lapidated house where he was living. Politician throng on the opening day, but never thought of his need.

Once again salute to Mr. Alban and UCA for this noble work.

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Media Release
March 12,2020

Manipal, Mar 12: Team WGSHA is proud to announce that the culinary museum in WGSHA has been listed in Limca Book of Records as India's First Living Culinary Arts Museum.

Limca Book of Records (LBR) is a catalogue of achievements made by Indians, at home and abroad in diverse fields of human endeavour. LBR is a celebration of exemplary exploits and recognizes accomplishments such as firsts, inventions, discoveries, honours, awards and the truly extraordinary.

Chef Thirugnanasambantham, Principal of WGSHA, while thanking MAHE and ITC Leadership for extending all support towards instituting this museum in Manipal and WGSHA, also appreciated and thanked all those who have directly or indirectly helped towards setting up this museum in Manipal.

"The process for WGSHA's culinary museum to make an entry into the popular Limca Book of Records started almost six months back and after validation by LBR recently, has been listed in the book of records. We are glad that we could be the first of its kind in such endeavour and we also hope to be in Guinness World Records soon", said Chef Thiru.

"We are indeed grateful to Michelin-starred Indian celebrity Chef Vikas Khanna, the founder and curator of this museum, who had this idea of establishing a culinary museum and donated thousands of kitchen tools and equipment worth millions of dollars to this museum for preserving the history of India's rich tradition of culinary arts and to educate the future generations. Chef Vikas Khanna, 'Distinguished Alumnus' of WGSHA, being very desirous of making such a museum in India, what better place it would be than in his own Alma Mater!", he said on the background of having the museum.

Chef Thiru mentioned that Udupi, popular for the famous 'Udupi Cuisine', and being a temple town, is adjacent to International University Town of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE).

MAHE is home to thousands of international students and visitors. With a great heritage of Udupi, combined with the large number of Indian and International students residing in and around Manipal, it was very apt for the college to create a museum for today's Indian youth and the International visitors to understand the rich culinary heritage of India, through the priceless kitchen tools and equipment donated by Chef Vikas Khanna.

"Has placed WGSHA in the global culinary map and we are proud to have joined all such efforts to preserve the history of cuisines and cultures across the world", said Chef Thiru.

The culinary art academic block housing the museum was opened in April 2018, spread approximately over 25,000 sq ft and is shaped in the form of a giant pot very similar to the ones found in Harappa.

There are historical as well as regular household items such as plates made by the Portuguese in India, a 100-year-old ladle used to dole out food at temples and bowls dating to the Harappan era, an old seed sprinkler, an ancient Kashmiri tea brewer known as 'samovar', vessels from the Konkan, Udupi and Chettinad regions, apart from a large collection of rolling pins, utensils of all shapes and sizes, tea strainers of different types etc.

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News Network
February 10,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 10: Smoke entered wards at Sagar Hospital following a short circuit in the UPS room, said the fire department here on Sunday.

"Smoke entered wards at Sagar Hospital in Bengaluru, following a short circuit in the UPS room at the hospital today. Patients have been shifted from the site of the incident, as a precaution," the fire department in Bengaluru said.

"No fire incident reported and the situation is under control now," the fire department said.

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News Network
March 20,2020

New Delhi, Mar 20: An official of South Western Railway has been suspended for "hiding" her son, who returned from Germany and later tested positive for coronavirus.

The youth has been hiding at a railway guest house in Bengaluru, officials said on Friday.

"She (the railway official) not only failed to inform authorities about her son's return from Germany, but also endangered the lives of others by lodging him in a railway rest house near the main Bangalore railway station," railway spokesperson E Vijaya said.

The Assistant Personnel Officer (Traffic) has been suspended, Vijaya said.

The 25-year-old man, who came from Germany via Spain and was instructed to be in home quarantine after he landed at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on March 13, later tested positive for Covid-19 on March 18.

"She virtually hid her son to protect her family but endangered all of us," a South Western Railway official said.

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