Daijiworld Media Network-Bahrain
Bahrain, Sep 25: The 15th Konkani Kutam Bahrain award for the year was conferred on Gratian Pius D’Silva, popularly known as Herolpius, in a glittering ceremony in Bahrain at the Indian club auditorium on Friday, September 23.
The ceremony was chaired by Fr Freddy D’Souza, parish priest, Sacred Heart Church Bahrain where the chief guest was Lawrence Saldanha, a businessman and well known philanthropist from Konkani community from Kuwait and Apolinaris D’Souza from Muscat was the guest of honour.
Henry D’Almeida, convener of Konkani Kutam Bahrain delivered the welcome address in which he remembered the previous 14 recipients of the Konkani Kutam Bahrain annual award being Maurice D’Sa, Benna Ruzai, Mickmax, Dolphy Cascia, Melwyn Rodrigues, Eric Ozario, Dr Edward Nazareth, Wilfy Rebimbus, Edie Netto, Stan Ageira, Vally Vagga, Dolla, CGS Taccode and Edwin J F D’Souza.
Apolinaris D’Souza started the introduction of Herolpius by singing a song composed by him using the lyrics from the poetry of Herolpius and spoke about 46 years of literary life of Herolpius.
Stany D’Souza, Konkani Kutam committee member read out the citation.
Lawrence Saldanha honoured Herolpius with a shawl, a memento, a garland and the fruit basket. Fr Freddy D’Souza presented the citation and Konkani Kutam convener Henry D’Almeida presented the cheque.
Herolpius expressed his feelings and thanked Konkani Kutam Bahrain managing committee and members for choosing him for this award.
Lawrence Saldanha expressed gratitude for asking him to be the chief guest for this event and said that the life is in between two cradles. One immediately after coming to this world and the other at the time of our burial. It is up to the human being to choose a worthy life or not.
Fr Freddy in his speech congratulated Herolpius for winning the prestigious Konkani Kutam annual award and appreciated the initiative and efforts taken by Konkani Kutam in recognizing and honouring the people whose contributions are immense to the cause of Konkani language.
Walter Dantis compered the award function.Konkani Kutam Bahrain is a voluntary forum formed in the year 2000 for promoting Konkani language, literature and culture.
The Konkani Kutam Bahrain Award was constituted in the year 2002 and is given to eminent writers of Konkani who have rendered remarkable contribution to Konkani literature. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 50,000, a citation and a memento.
About Gratian Pius D'Silva (Herolpius)
Born in Kudupu, on August 14, 1954, Gratian Pius D'Silva served as officer for Ministry of Home Affairs for 37 years. His first short story in Konkani was published when he was 16.
Since then, he has written 197 short stories, 225 poems, 329 articles, 5 serial articles, 127-'Theen Khille'- Nano serial articles, jokes and crosswords published in various Konkani magazines and websites. A serial of 16 chapters on the 'Kanara Konkani Christian marriage traditions' was published in Kannada, Hindi and English periodicals. He has written articles and stories in Hindi and English also. His 8 novels and 2 collections of satiric stories were published in book form. He has written and directed one drama and 5 one act plays in Konkani and has acted in one of the leading roles.
One of his novels, 'Dhon Thembe Dukhan'(two drops of tears) has won the Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Goa award. He is the recipient of 'Mahan Vyakti (2007) by Konkani Sahitya Academy and Daiji Dubai- 2012 award. He is currently living his retired life at Paldane, Mangaluru.