Pics: Dayananda Kukkaje
Report : Richie John Pais
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (RJP)

Mangaluru, Dec 22: 6th Global music awards were presented at Kalangan, Makale in Mangaluru on Sunday, December 21 in a star studded ceremony. But the stars who graced the occasion were not ordinary actors. Varsha Usgaokar who made it big in Hindi and Marathi cinema, theatre as well as television and daughter of the land, Ester Noronha, a sensation in Kannada and Telugu film industries, are both singers. Ester is known through her albums, but very few knew that Varsha is a good singer too.

The annual event is an initiative of Mandd Sobhann. It was truly a global event with telecast live by Daijiworld webportal and the participation of people who had come from throughout the globe. Most notable person was Debora Santa Maria who had come from Pakistan.

 
The Global Konkani awards event was started in 2009. This is the sixth consecutive edition. The juries of the current edition were also honoured. The juries were Fr Jayaprakash D’Souza, Anil Patrao, Eric Ozario, Siddanath Buyanv, Alwyn Fernandes, Cajitan Dias, Fr Pratap Naik, Titus Noronha, Rony Crasta, Jossy Pinto, Andrew D’Cunha and Br Jossy OCD.

The awards were given in six categories. There were three nominees in each categories with six winners announced. Album Chanda re won the maximum awards. Every winner walked home with Rs 25,000 cash and citation.

Best Singer, Female--Shilpa Tejaswini Cutinho for Kasulya Kolyar (Album-Asha)

Best Singer, Male- Nitin Kutungal for Thu-go thenem (Album-Chanda re)

Best Musician- Joel Pereira for Thu-go thenem (Album-Chanda re)

Best lyricist- Irine D’Souza for Mogak aslli pakam (Album- Ganv mhojo)

Best Music Arranger-Roshan D’Souza for Thu-go thenem (Album-Chanda re)

Best Music Album-Roshan D’Souza and Lloyd A Rego (Album-Chanda re)

Before the awards were announced and presented all the nominees in each category were honoured on stage by chief guest, special guests and dignitaries of the function.

The chief guest of the function was Varsha Usgaokar, a Goan by birth who is a yesteryear sensation. Other special guests were 'Sajan' Hindi movie fame Lawrence D'Souza from Mumbai, Esther Noronha, Debora Santa Maria from Pakistan, Raymond D’Souza from Delhi, Walter Nandalike, founder of Daijiworld media, Siddanath Buyanv from Goa, Lorry Travasso from Goa and Roy Castelino from Mangaluru.

Some special things were noteworthy. Five members from two families were nominated for the awards. Roshan D’souza, his wife Meera Florence Crasta and mother Irine D’Souza were the nominees from one family and Robin Sequeira and Carol Sequeira were the nominees from another family. The mother son duo of Irine and Roshan won the prizes. For Roshan it was a hatrick. Nitin Kutungal who won the best singer prize in male category is not a singer by training, but a music technician. His mother tongue is not Konkani unlike others. He is a Malayalee from Ernakulum. No Goan took any prize though ‘Love to Goa’ was a talked about album.

Siddanath Buyanv’s new music cd ‘Konkani unplugged’ was released by Varsha Usgaokar during the occasion.

Ester Noronha entertained the crowd with five of her solo singing performances. Nach Sobhann gave her company with their spectacular dances.

Lawrence D’Souza, the director of ‘Sajan’ and other Hindi films was also a centre of attraction.

All the guests who came to occasion were served with gendali tender coconut water , irvol (a palm tree produce of coastal Karnataka) and bananas generously.

Al the donors were hunoured with bouquets on the stage by the organizers.

The best was reserved till the end. The audience wanted to hear Varsha Usgaonkar’s voice. They heard her voice first when she spoke.

“I have acted in more than 70 Marathi and 28 Hindi Movies. But attending a Konkani function is something else. We listen to great singers in other languages. But listening to Konkani songs is great for us Konkani people because we connect ourselves with the songs. I am grateful to the people of Mangaluru for their hospitality. I love their special words like ‘Mosth’ (which means many in English). I would like to come back to Mangaluru again and again. I also want to do as much as I can do for Mangaluru, my favourite place.” said Varsha in her brief speech.

Then the audience heard Varsha’s voice in the form two songs. The first one was solo. She sang ‘Noshibak rodtham’ a song composed by Chris Perry and sung originally by Mohammed Rafi. The song was made famous later by Lorna.

Varsha sang the second song, the duet ‘Manglurachya shaharanth ek chedu dekhilam’ with Siddanath Buyanv. Incidentally the famous song was composed by Ullas Buyanv, the father of Siddanath.

Mandd Sobhann chiefs Louis J Pinto, Eric Ozario and Stany Alvares were present with Austin Peris,Roy Castelino and Richard Rodrigues among others.

Ace comperes and TV presenters Arunraj and Lavita Lobo compered the programme.

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