Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Sep 15: The Vimala V Pai Vishwa Konkani Sahitya Awards for this year, instituted by T V Mohandas Pai, under the aegis of World Konkani Centre, have been announced.
The Best Konkani Sahitya Puraskar will go to veteran Konkani writer Edwin J F D'Souza, Mangalore, for his work 'Kallem Bhangaar'.
The Best Konkani Kavitha Krithi Puraskar will be conferred on renowned Konkani poet Sanjiv Verenkar, Goa, for his 'Aswasth Surya'.
Jeevan Siddhi Puraskar (Lifetime Achievment Award) will be bestowed on Fr Mark Waldar (75), former editor, Raknno Konkani Weekly, considering his contribution and services to the Konkani movement in general and Konkani journalism in particular.
The Awards, carrying a prize money of Rs one lac each, will be presented at a ceremony to be held on November 6 this year at T V Raman Pai hall.
About the Awardees
Edwin J F D'Souza
Edwin D'Souza, is a distinguished litterateur who is also on the Board of Konkani Studies in Goa University, where his term is of three years duration. He had also represented Konkani literature as a member of the General Council of Sahitya Akademi New Delhi between 2008 and 2012. Last year, he was appointed member of the central government’s committee for selecting awardees under the Scheme of Award of Fellowship to Outstanding Persons in the field of culture.
Edwin J F D'Souza's ‘A Cup of Hot Coffee’ which was published on August 25, 1991 in ‘Deccan Herald’ was published in Konkani in Raknno on July 22, 1993. The English original was spotted by Khuswant Singh and Neelam Kumar and appeared in ‘Our Favorite Indian Stories’ published in 2002 by Jaico Books. ‘Dev, Divll ani Rogath’ was translated into Hindi as ‘Bhagwan, Mandir Aur Lahoo’ and published in ‘Samakaleen Bharatiya Sahitya’; ‘Bethlehem’ was published in Indian Literature and ‘A Collar For Moti’ published in ‘Prateechi’ – A Literary Digest of West Indian Languages (1992-1993) by Sahitya Akademi.
Sanjiv Verenkar
Sanjiv Verenkar was born on August 29, 1959 at Savoi Verem, Goa. He did his primary education at the Govt School at Savoi Verem, and did his further studies at Utkarsh Vidyalaya, Dhupem and graduation at the Dhempe College of Arts and Science, Miramar.
His books are 'Bhav-Zumbor', 'Mumbor', 'Ganvantli Saanz', 'Paddve Voilim Sallkam', 'Chaitanyachyo Savlleo' and 'Aswast Surya'. All are poetry collections. His book 'Ganvantli Saanz' has been translated into English as 'Village Evening'. He has penned two one-act plays.
It is worth noting that all his books have seen minimum two editions. Many of his poems have been translated into other Indian languages.
Sanjiv Verenkar presided over the multi-lingual poetry session during the Kavita Fest 2014 in January at Town Hall, Mangalore organised by Kavita Trust.
Fr Mark Waldar
Fr Mark Waldar is one of the founders of Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Karnataka in 1974 along with the late B V Baliga, G G Vasudeva Prabhu, and others, and held All India Konkani Parishad Adhiveshan in Mangalore for the first time in 1976 and also in Bangalore in 1984 with the late B Damodar Prabhu. He was managing Konkani Bhasha Mandal for a very long time at Raknno office and nurtured its growth.
He was also associated with Vishwa Konkani Sammelan committee for organising the first Vishwa Konkani Sammelan in 1995 and continues to work actively for Konkani movement in Mangalore.