Pics: Kevin Rodrigues
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SB)

Udupi, Jul 25: The contribution of the Konkani community in coastal districts has been commendable with its internationally notable work in the fields of education, banking, social service, medicine and business, said town municipality president Dinkar Shetty.

He was speaking after inaugurating the two-day district Konkani Kala Pratibhotsav for children organized by the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy at the Board High School auditorium here. Traits like honesty, loyalty and service of the community are worth emulating, he added.

Department of Public Instructions deputy director Dr B V Mahidas, who was the chief guest said that experts have always stressed the importance of imparting education in the mother tongue. In this direction, Konkani has been introduced as the third language in the curriculum of the state, he said. He called upon the Konkani community to make use of the opportunity to study the language in order to create a friendly and effective environment for studies.

Presiding over the programme, academy president Narayana Kharvi said that the state has 27 lac Konkani speaking people, who are distributed among 40 communities, having their own distinct folk culture and tradition.

Government Pre-university College vice-principal Padyaana Parameshwar Bhat, academy members Vasant Bandekar, Harish Shenoy and Namdev Shenoy as well as Puttur Panduranga Nayak were present. B Pundalik Marathe compered the programme.