Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network-Mangaluru(MD)

Mangaluru, Jun 12: Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy's efforts at having a Konkani Study Chair has finally paid off as Minister for Higher Education and Tourism R V Deshpande inaugurated the chair in the presence of various dignitaries here on Friday June 12 at Ravindra Kala Bhavan University College, Mangaluru.

Addressing the gathering R V Deshpande spoke in Konkani saying that 'Hawn Konkani Ulaitha' (I speak Konkani). "Konkani is a very beautiful language as even the people belonging to different religions and caste speak Konkani. Konkani is a secular language and we are all proud of it."

"People who speak Konkani are very affectionate by nature and very intelligent. Konkani people are spread all over the world. This is the biggest gift from the Karnataka government for the Konkani community and a long awaited dream has come true," he said.

"The Konkani Study Chair has a lot of responsibility. The Study Chair Committee should be very creative. There are poor people who speak Konkani and it is the duty of all Konkani speaking people to look after them. Our state government is ready to provide financial support even in the future. This is going to be a successful programme and Konkani is a loving language," he added.

Mangalore University vice-chancellor, K Byrappa in his presidential address said that having the Konkani Study Chair at Mangalore University is like a responsibility for him to work on. "We are going to appoint two full time research scholars for the Konkani Study Chair. So far we have 16 Study Chairs and none of them are working properly. Keeping this in mind we will concentrate on all the study chairs. A special study has to be made on Konkani. Konkani Study chair is not meant only for the arts section, it is for all of us as well," he said.

Bishop of Mangaluru Dr Aloysius Paul D'souza speaking to the gathering said, "Our language and our mother tongue is Konkani. It is good news for more than 50 lac Konkani speaking people. Konkani language has been taken to another level. We are trying our level best to start Konkani language in all schools and colleges."

"Our language has to grow up and develop. Our elders have struggled a lot to save the Konkani language. If Konkani language has to be developed then correspondence or online courses are required," he added.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel congratulated the state government for their support towards the Konkani Study Chair. "If you support any language, the culture and heritage of the language can be saved for the future. Kids of this generation speak English rather than their own mother tongue Konkani. Konkani Study chair has to sort this out," he said.

Mangaluru South MLA J R Lobo said that Konkani language will live long. "If we do not speak Konkani then it is not possible for us to save the language."

'Basti Vaman Shenoy is the Sachin Tendulkar of Konkani language' said MLC Ivan D'souza in his speech.

Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy president Roy Castelino thanked everyone for their support and said the long awaited work has been completed.

Registrar P S Yadapadithaya welcomed the guests. Dr Jayavanth Nayak proposed the vote of thanks. Mementos were presented to the guests as a token of remembrance.

Vitori Karkal compered the ceremony.

Eric Ozario, Basti Vaman Shenoy, Fr J B Crasta, CJS Takode, Dr B Devadas Pai, Lawrence D'Souza and others were also present on this occaison.