This story goes back to October of 2017, when i was preparing for my trip in Karnataka. As i was charting out the itinerary, I found myself with a free afternoon in Mangalore and i had the urge to meet someone interesting. My usual course of action in such moments is to scour the internet in search of fascinating people. The quest for such individuals can be an enjoyable adventure in itself. After a few rounds of keyword searches like ‘heroes of Mangalore’ and ‘unsung heroes,’ I stumbled upon a captivating article in a local news magazine. This article introduced me to a fruit vendor in Harekala village near Mangalore, a man named Harekala Hajabba, who happened to sell oranges.
However, my initial discovery was as far as I could go. There were no contact details to be found. But then, serendipity struck again when I came across another article featuring someone named Alban Mendes, who had assisted Hajabba in some way. I shifted my focus to tracking down Alban, and after a bit of online sleuthing, I finally located him on Facebook. There were multiple profiles, but I selected the one that felt right and sent a message: “Hi, do you know Hajabba?” After a week of anticipation, I received a reply, “Yes, I do!”
Harekala Hajjaba
With his awards
Harekala Hajjaba
The fruit vendor
Alban (I’ll share more about him later) not only provided me with contact information but also generously offered to accompany me to meet Hajabba. A half-hour drive brought us to the village, and as we parked the car, a slender, elderly man in his 60s, dressed in a simple white shirt and veshti, approached and greeted us with a warm “Namaste.” I inquired, “Hajabba?” to which he replied affirmatively and hurriedly led us to his home. Inside, a small area was adorned with at least a hundred awards and recognitions he had received, prompting me to wonder who this remarkable man truly was. Unfortunately, he spoke only in Tulu, but thanks to Alban’s presence, we were able to learn his inspiring story.
It began with Hajabba selling orange fruits in the market one day when a foreigner approached him, asking something he couldn’t comprehend. With no formal education, he resolved to build a school to assist the local children. This marked the beginning of his incredible journey. Using his earnings, he established a school with around 20 students. Hajabba managed to secure funds to purchase nearly an acre of land, expanding the school’s facilities. Eventually, he relinquished the land to the government so they could establish a government school with proper teachers. Today, this school hosts approximately 100 students from grades one to ten, with five dedicated teachers.
Hajabba’s service to his community was so profound that he gained recognition not just within the state but across the entire country. He received the CNN IBN cash award of 5 lakhs. Yet, instead of accepting it in his name and paying taxes, he convinced them to award it in the school’s name so that the entire 5 lakhs could benefit the school.
Hajjaba's awards
With Harekala Hajjaba, Alban Mendes and Kalyan Mohan
Hajjaba's house
The house that Alban Mendes built for Hajjaba
But the story doesn’t end here; let me return to Alban. Alban had initially connected with Hajabba to present an award for his selfless service. A year later, he received a series of blank SMS messages from Hajabba’s phone. Concerned, he called, and Hajabba’s son informed him that his father was in the ICU. When Alban visited, he discovered that Hajabba had constructed a school but had no proper home for himself. His humble dwelling was flooded, leaving him ill. In that moment, Alban made a profound decision to build a house for Hajabba, primarily from his own resources.
Now, back to Hajabba himself. Today, he has established a remarkable school filled with joyous children, as evidenced by their radiant smiles. He began this journey with the proceeds from selling fruits, and despite its growth, he takes nothing for himself. Every resource goes towards the school and its teachers. Hajabba has ailing family members—a wife and two daughters—but during our time with him, he never once mentioned their hardships. His excitement in showing us around was palpable. He continues to sell fruits to support his family, even though he could have easily claimed the award money for himself. His actions exemplify the greatness of giving when you have plenty, but the nobility of giving when you have next to nothing. Meeting Hajabba felt like encountering a living saint.
Anita Agarwal
Hi Mahesh!
Thanks for introducing us to such true hero’s. The life story of Shri Hajjaba is tremendously inspiring!
Best wishes
Meenakshi Sundaresan
Thank you!
Shankar
I love your story telling ability and the way you present it!
Lalitha
U easily take me to the characters so well I always lookfarward to ur page thanks for introducing me to such kind hearted ppl