Report: Shodhan Prasad

Sharjah, Nov 10: Karnataka Sangha Sharjah (KSS) will be celebrating its 14th annual programme on Friday November 18 at Sharjah Indian Association Auditorium in a grand way from 4 pm onwards.

The main attraction of this year’s event is UAE-level singing competition of which the final round will be conducted on stage and the winners will be honoured with ‘Mayura Raja’, ‘Mayura Rani’, ‘Mayura Kumara’ and ‘Mayura Kumari’ titles respectively.

MLA from Karnataka, J R Lobo has agreed to be the chief guest whereas advocate Y A Rahim, the president of Sharjah Indian Association will be the honorary guest on this occasion.

'Mayura Award' to Joseph Mathias

Every year, Karnataka Sangha Sharjah identifies a prominent Kannadiga and honours him with the 'Mayura Award'. This year it has identified the well-known businessman, social worker, singer, film actor and most importantly, an ardent supporter of Kannada art and folk in this part of the world, Joseph Mathias and will honour him with the prestigious 'Mayura Award' during the event.

There will be musical programme throughout with some of the well-known singers, Anitha D'Souza, Manasa Holla and Harish Sherigar with orchestra by Raj Gopal and group from Mangaluru who will enthrall the audience with very many Kannada songs. Ravi Santosh will be the master of ceremony who will also entertain the audience with his live mimicry.

President Sugandhraj Bekal and committee members of Kannada Sangha Sharjah have invited all Kannadigas in UAE to come in large numbers with their families and friends to make this event a memorable one.

Entry is free for all.

About Joseph Mathias

A simple and big-hearted personality, Joseph Mathias has for more than two decades has selflessly supported and promoted Kannada in this part of the world. Any Karnataka-related programme will never ever be without the banner of 'Merit Freight' and 'Joseph Mathias'. A soft spoken entrepreneur, he is also a well-known singer, a film actor and a good gentleman.

Joseph Mathias is one among the precious metals who stood all tests of fire and turned gold long ago. He is a successful entrepreneur, talented singer, Kannadiga supporter, kind-hearted philanthropist and a great human being well-known in society for long years.

A hard worker from his early days in Mumbai, he has come a long way, from working 16 hours a day in the early 1988 as a customs clerk in a shipping company to the currently managing and owning a group freight forwarding company in Dubai which has so many employees dedicatedly working under him. This is the testimony that Jospeh Mathias believes not only in work but also loves and cares about his people.

Fondly known as 'Jossy', he was born to Lawrence and Mary Mathias, an agricultural family hailing from in an interior place in Mangaluru called 'Ferrar'. The family now resides in Bendore, Mangaluru. Married to Flavia from Pangala is the real strength and source of inspiration to him, both in his professional and his social career. With two beautiful daughters, Tisha and Tianna, Jospeh is truly a blessed family man.

Joseph Mathias who started singing hymns with his mother at home to singing choir in the church of Mangaluru had participated in many singing competitions held in the city, winning trophies and accolades. This encouraged his singing career. He got his first break at a programme organized by Konkani Association in Dubai in the year 2008 where people of Dubai started recognizing him as a singer. From that day onwards his singing continued, with all Konkani associations' musical programmes in Dubai or elsewhere resonating with the melodious voice of Joseph Mathias. Unlike most other singers he is enthusiastically promoting several singers of Mangaluru in conducting musical programmes in Dubai and bringing them to limelight.

He is a great philanthropist supporting each and every association of Kannadigas in UAE with sponsorship, supporting charitable causes, releasing of Konkani literature, periodicals, CDs etc. He says with a smile ‘I just share a piece which I get through my hard work and I consider it as an opportunity to share my fortune to our brethren in times of need’ and supports them hesitantly.

Apart from winning a host of singing competitions at various levels and performing in musical shows and around Mangaluru, Dubai, London and other places, Joseph Mathias has rendered his voice for several musical albums and has been honoured by several Konkani associations for his selfless service.