Mangaluru :  Harekala Hajabba was conferred the Padma Shree Award by President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapathi Bhavan in New Delhi on November 8, Monday morning.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and various other dignitaries  were present.

Though the Padma Shree Award for Hajabba was announced in January 2020 itself, the  award presentation ceremony could not be held that year due to the Covid pandemic and lockdown.

The orange seller from Harekala Newpadpu who went on to build a school for children of his village through sheer determination and hard work received the award.