Media Release
Udupi, Dec 31: SMS English Medium School (CBSE) celebrated Founder’s Day in memory of Ramban Dr N J Thomas.
As part of the event, the school felicitated and honoured Padma Shri awardee and ‘Akshara Santa’ Harekala Hajabba for his extraordinary contribution to education.
Hajabba, who established a school in his village by selling oranges, shared his inspiring journey with the students during an interactive session. The students engaged with Hajabba, asking questions about his life and the challenges he faced in realising his dream of building a school for his village.
Students asked him several questions about the success story of Hajabba’s life, and he had an open conversation with them. Students asked Hajabba about his childhood, the work he pursued throughout his life, the incident that inspired him to dream of building a school to promote literacy, his relentless efforts to make that dream a reality, his family’s financial situation, and the moment he was awarded the Padma Shri, the highest civilian honour. Hajabba spoke openly about the work and duty he had undertaken.
Hajabba was born into a poor family in Panjimadi, Harekala, where his parents worked as a boatman and a rice mill labourer. On July 25, 1974, his house was completely washed away due to flood in Netravati River, because of which they migrated to new Padpu. Despite facing extreme poverty, Hajabba began selling oranges in 1972 to support his family. He used to walk all the way to sell oranges. Later he got married and had three children. By the time his wife gave birth to their third child, he faced a lot of hardship.
A pivotal moment in his life came when a foreign customer asked him for the price of oranges in English, a language he could not understand. This incident planted the seed for his dream to build a school so that no child in his village would remain illiterate. He said that the hard work and determination he put into making that dream come true gave him the opportunity to stand in front of 130 crore people and the prime minister.
In 1999, with the support of local MLA U T Fareed, Hajabba received government approval to start a school in new Padpu. He began with 28 students, overcoming financial and infrastructural challenges through sheer determination and the assistance of generous donors and political leaders. He attributes much of the school's success to the late U T Fareed and continues to remember him with gratitude.
Hajabba's tireless efforts earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Padma Shri award. He used the prize money for the development of the school, further cementing his legacy as a selfless educator. During his conversation with the students, he recounted his experiences meeting the President of India and participating in a tea ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Under Hajabba's leadership, the school expanded to include a government high school on the same campus. His life story has been featured in leading newspapers, and a chapter about his journey has been included in the primary school curriculum, recognising his contributions to education.
Once a man who slept without basic necessities, Hajabba now stands as a beacon of hope and an icon of selflessness. His work continues to inspire countless others, reflecting his belief that true wealth lies in uplifting society through education.