Every fold on his face floating tells a story.
In the worldly sense, the Orange Harekala Hajabba seller is illiterate.
A visit to his village, Harekala, Mangaluru, would make anyone let go of his hat with his contribution to the children there – because his efforts had been realized in school.
When Hajabba, 65, received the Padma Shri Award from President Ram Nath Kovind in New Delhi on Monday, he walked towards Dais to accept it without footwear.
“My humble request for the government is that PU colleges are subject to sanctions to my village.
Prepare this college is my dream,” said Hajabba.
“I am happy that a poor man like me has been respected by the Prime Minister and President.
Prime Minister shook my hand,” he added.
With his dream of building a school, Hajabba set aside a bit of his income to build one in Harekala.
Born in poor families, Hajabba aspirations to be educated cannot be fulfilled because there is no school nearby.
His father used to work as a sand miner and mother used to roll beedis.
Hajabba began selling oranges in 1976 at the age of 16, which continued even today.
He borrowed 15 to 20 kg of oranges from wholesalers and sold them in Hampankatta.
In the end, his income amounted to RS 75 to the maximum, after paying wholesalers.
With this money he manages his family five.
Whatever the few remains used to go to school funds.
Through assistance from local villagers and the Madrasah Committee, a small beginning was made to start schools at the local Madrasah in 1995.
The school shifted from the madrasa to a new place on July 1, 2001, he said.