The various medals awarded each year in Nepal are a matter of controversy rather than honor. As political activists and government-backed party cadres began to receive more, there has been a competition to boycott medals every year. But the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri medals awarded for the year 2020 in neighboring India also have some exemplary personalities who inspire the new generation to engage in selfless service.
On Monday, Indian President Ram Nath Kobind conferred Padma Vibhushan on seven persons, Padma Bhushan on 10 persons and Padma Shri on 102 persons. Among them are three Nepali speakers including Lila Bahadur Chhetri who has made special contribution in Nepali literature.
The ‘real hero’ is everyone
Just as the Padma Shri award is controversial in Nepal every year, the people who came to receive the Padma Shri award from India this year were different and exemplary personalities. One of them is Harjala Hajba of Karnataka. Appreciating his invaluable contribution in the field of education, the Government of India decided to award him the Padma Shri. Hajjaba is a CNN Real Hero.
The city of Mangalore is 350 kilometers south of Bangalore, the capital of the southern Indian state of Karnataka. At a distance of 35 kilometers, it is in the Kannada village panchayat, the home of every hijab. Two decades had passed while selling oranges in the bus park of the nearby city of Mangalore. Despite being close to Mangalore, his village New Padpu was in the dark under the lights. Neither school nor any other facility. Her family has been living in New Padpu where she has been living since 1952. The small house, the orange business to support the family was running her diary in the same way.
The year is 1978. One day he was selling oranges near the bus park. Where two foreigners came to buy oranges. Hajjaba does not understand any other language except Kannada. He could not even speak Hindi and English was a very foreign language to him. Tourists ask the price of oranges. He could not answer. The tourists returned. The point was not to sell one kg of oranges. But the incident left a bad impression on her mind. That bad impression made a big difference in her life. He was awarded the Padma Shri.
A few days ago, a call came to Hajjab from the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs. He was sitting in the ration line. It was reported that the Home Ministry had decided to award him the Padma Shri in Hindi. But he did not understand. The phone rang. He still doesn’t understand Kannada language. Later, the Home Ministry, through the District Magistrate, sent the news of the Padma Shri award to Hajjaba.
The life of Hajjaba enlightened by foreign tourists
Hajjaba’s biography is now taught to students at Bangalore University. What is the fourth largest Padma Shri award given to Hajjaba in India?
After failing to share the value of oranges with a foreign couple in 1978, Hajjaba thought, “We are far behind, we need a school in the village.” The campaign was not easy. Many family goals had to be abandoned in order to achieve their goals. He did not back down even for that.
Initially, he decided to run the school by saving some of the money he earned from selling oranges. It’s about the early 1980’s. He started teaching in a mosque in the village as a temporary school. Initially, 28 students came to study. He urged the people in the nearby village and in his own village to be educated. He also taught the students what he knew, more than that he was more involved in other management of the school. He would get up in the morning and clean the school. Gradually the number of students in the school started increasing. Gradually, the number of students began to increase. He took out a loan and bought land for the school from his savings.
After purchasing the land, he started rushing to give official status to the school. On the day of the holiday, he would go to the district magistrate, 25 kilometers away, to provide the necessary materials for the school and to authorize the school. Eventually, he got the approval to construct the school building on the special initiative of the late UT Farid, a former MLA, and the school was also given official status. The school opened on his initiative has been named Dakshin Kannada District Panchayat Higher Primary and Composite High School. He even wants to give higher education in that school. For this, he has even proposed to Prime Minister Modi, according to Indian media.
Proposal for Padyashree 5 years ago
This year, the Government of India awarded the fourth largest Poetry Medal to exemplary personalities from various fields. Hajjaba is one of them. Hajjaba was recommended for the Padma Shri award in 2015. Exactly 5 years later, he has been awarded the Padma Shri medal of 2020.
With the help of Indian media