Media release
Goa, Jun 11: Asmitai Pratisthan's Prof Kashinath Mahale Puraskar (award) for the year 2015 has been declared to veteran Konkani activist Basti Vaman Shenoy. The Yuva Asmitay Award has been declared to actress and dramatist Suchita Narvenkar.
Basti Vaman Shenoy
Suchita Narvenkar
These awards constituted for the service in Konkani field will be presented at a special function on June 17. The function will be held at Multipurpose Hall, Sanskruti Bhavan, Patto Panaji at 5.00pm. Forest and panchayat minister, Rajendra Arlekar will be the chief guest for the occasion. Veteran Konkani writer Suresh Gundu Amonkar shall be the guest of honour.
The function shall be preceded by a special interaction with the awardees where students and people at large will get an opportunity to acquaint themselves about the work and journey of both the award winners.
About award winners:
Basti Vaman Shenoy
Basti Vaman Shenoy is the the founder president ‘Konkani Bhas Ani Samskriti Pratistan’ (World Konkani Centre) established in Mangaluru. He has been the past president, Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy, Mangaluru for two terms. His struggle in Karnataka led to the establishment of Konkani Academy in Karnataka and he has also played an important role in the fight for inclusion of Konkani in the 8th schedule of the Constitution. He has been the president of All India Konkani Parishad for the year 2004-2006. He is also the member, Supreme Governing Body of Academy of General Education, Manipal. He has been the past president, Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Karnataka.
He received the first International special significant award from Rotary International in 1974, for organising Mass Rotary free eye operation camps, dental camps in and around Bantwal. He was the chief convener of the First World Konkani Convention held at Mangaluru in 1995. He was also the chief convener of the First Vishwa Saraswat Sammelan held at Mangaluru in 1999. He is the recipient of the title 'Vishwa Konkani Sardar' and 'Vishwa Saraswat Sardar'. He won the Karnataka ` Rajyotsava Award-2010’ from government of Karnataka for Konkani literature and other activities and the Tulu Koota, Kuwait-Decennial Celebrations Award-2010.
He has published several books and has written widely for several dailies and magazines.
Suchita Narvenkar
Popularly known as A Radio Jockey for Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM where she worked between 2007 and 2015. Suchita is today the partner at Relooking Beauty & Slimming Centre Goa after resigning from Radio Mirchi as Programming Head in 2015. She has acted in several dramas beginning from the year 1996 where her one act play ‘Atvo ani Bitvo’ won her Kala academy's the best actress award. She has performed in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan for the play ‘Mukhaute’ by Hans Theatre Centre. Her roles in popular dramas such as Hauns Theatre's Apar Udas and Kala Chetana Volvoi’s Shiri Re Shiri, Adhantari, ‘Don Khula Don Khula’, ‘Kaljatli Kani’, ‘Anta Ghara Bhagwanta’, ‘Kansulo’, ‘Tirangi Chakra Chakri’, ‘Dhanya Devchara’, ‘Mixing Fixing’, ‘Bindas Ramdas’, ‘O Bai’, are well remembered. She has also acted in telefilms like ‘Narkasur Dot Com’ and film ‘Katyatle Phool’ which won her the best actress award at the 3rd Goa Film Festival.
She has written and directed several plays such as ‘Fifty Fifty’, ‘Shortcut’, ‘Ankwar Company’, ‘Kama Purto Mama’, ‘Pappa eke Pappa’, ‘Artyak Parte’, ‘Ata Mhaji satakli'. She has also been the costume designer for several plays.
She has also acted in the Konkani Film ‘Jagor’. She was awarded ‘Ýuva Chaitanya Puraskar’ of Goa Konkani Academy.
About Asmitai Pratisthan
Asmitai Pratisthan is an organisation dedicated to the service and upliftment of Konkani language. Founded in 1994, it has till date organised several programmes which include publication of books, seminars, workshops etc. It annually confers two awards for the service of Konkani language. It has developed a glossary of over 30 lac Konkani words for central government's automatic translation project. The Pratisthan has often worked in association with several other organisations in promoting Konkani language. From this year it has started a special programme titled Asmitay Utsav where it has organised several discussions and seminars along with a grand exhibition of Konkani books where it invites book publishers and organisations to showcase the vast literary output in Konkani.