Media Release

Doha, Jun 8: Mangalore Cricket Club (MCC), a renowned Konkani community conducted its 11^thannual talent competition at skills development centre, where more than 100 children participated and showcased their talents in fancy dress, storytelling, singing and dance competitions along with adults who participated in cookery competition. The annual talent competition was open to all MCC members and to the Konkani-speaking Mangalurean community in Qatar.

The evening began with a warm welcome from the amazing duo MCs of the evening Seema Gonsalves and Renzil D’Souza. Seema, a teacher by profession and Renzil, a youth icon, past ICYM president and is an active MCC cultural committee member. They then invited Delita D’Souza, cultural sub-committee member who led the audience in a short prayer to invoke God’s blessings on all participants and for the success of the event.

MCC president Naveen D'Souza in his address, welcomed the gathering and expressed his joy in meeting all members at this physical event after a long gap due to pandemic. He expressed his gratitude to the parents and children for an enormous and encouraging response on the talents competition. Further in his address, he mentioned that the main reason behind organizing these competitions is to endorse mother tongue Konkani and to nurture the intrinsic qualities of children and remove the fear of stage among them. He encouraged all to make use of these opportunities and use this platform to showcase their talents and urged to continue the rich legacy so that the younger generation can take pride to promote culture. He specifically thanked the cultural committee led by MCC cultural secretary Amith Mathias and the MCC Executive committee members for organizing the event.

Seema and Renzil introduced all the judges as per contest and explained the rules of the competitions. Excom members welcomed them with a rose. Ryan Renjar provided them with the judging sheets and took control of it till the tallying.

The talent competitions kicked off with the fancy dress competition. The judges for the fancy dress competition were Mishal Lobo and Jason Menezes. Mishal is a multi-talented person who is passionate dancer, enjoys singing, a teacher by profession and is an active member of MCC and has been a part of the MCC cultural committee.  Jason Menezes isa dramatist and director of short drama Galfaso Novro, founder of Kushali Qatar Comedy group in Qatar. The children entertained the audience with their creativity, innocence and scintillating performances and gave a tough time to judges to decide the winners.

“Cooking is an expression that crosses boundaries and brings happiness". The cookery contest was held simultaneously where in each participant had to present one traditional Mangalorean snacks or sweet dish. The beautiful array of snacks like Goli Bajje, Podi, Pathrade, Kube Mutlim, Buns-Chutney, Jeegujje podi and sweets like Ananas Sheera, were on display. The presentations of their dishes on the tables were very creative and eye-catching. The judges were Danutte Dsouza and Benedict D'Souza were very experienced chefs with18 years and 23 years of experience in food industryin Middle East.Both are employed at IFS-Qatar. They had a tough time judging the presented dishes.

This was followed by Konkani Story Telling and Elocution competition for children in different age groups. The judges for this competition were Riana Pinto and Alwyn D’Souza. Riana hasserved MCC executive committee for many years and currently serve as advisor of MCC and also has been a toastmaster serving in different leadership roles. Alwyn has served MCC committee in various positions and also as past president, and is a good MC, actor, comedian and writer. Children of 9-12 years category spoke on 'Mai Gavanth Muji Raza' and children of 12-15 years age group spoke on 'Istagaath' topic, All participants amazed all audience and judges with their fluency in Konkani language, confident delivery and expressiveness of thoughts and kept all wonder struck and was delight to see all children speaking Konkani and keeping our language alive. They indeed made judges job difficult. 

The next competition was solo singing competition for children in various age groups. Judges for singing competition were Carol D’Souza and Clement Fernandes bothwell-known singers from Qatar. Carol hailing from Udupi and has won 'Voice of Udupi in 2012', runner up of 'Gulf Voice of Mangalore' 2016 season and winner of 'Muzo Thalo Gaithalo'- Gulf Edition in 2021 while Clement hailing from Thakode is a winner of 'Gulf Voice of Mangalore' in 2018, 'Muzo Thalo Gaithalo' Gulf Edition 2021. The children at their young age surprised the audience with their beautiful voices and fluency in Konkani language. The melodious voices transported the audience to another realm. 

The most awaited last and final competition of the evening was the solo dance competition. The judges for the solo dance competition were Sean Fernandes and Sanjana Jeevan. Sean is a young talented dancer and budding choreographer who has performed on various stage dance programs and Sanjana is a passionate dancer and has been professionally trained in various dance forms like Bharatanatyam and Kathak, a teacher by profession and an active member in cultural events in Karnataka Sangha Qatar and has been performing as a participant and choreographer. The children displayed their dancing talents by swaying on entertaining music which left the audience mesmerized. The audience took it upon themselves to whole heartedly cheer up the participants all along and keep their spirits up. It was a feast to the eyes with their entertaining dance performances.

The hall was jam-packed with encouraging parents and enthusiastic children dressed in colorful dresses, full of confidence prior to their performances. The response to the competitions was overwhelming and it was heartening to see the enthusiasm and creativity of the participants.

The judges in their commentswere in all praise for the quality and the professionalism of the items that were presented and were of special praise for the children. They congratulated MCC for their efforts at promoting mother tongue Konkani and for providing the Konkani speaking Catholic community of Qatar, especially the children, a platform to showcase their talents.The judges were honoured with a memento by the advisors of MCC. 

Membership secretary Meena Mascarenhas proposed the vote of thanks thanking everyone who made this evening so successful with their contributions and support. Veronica and Chris Baretto manned the timer’s desk. Wendy D’Silva, Shaila Menezes, Riona Gonsalves and Shown Fernandes manned the registration desk and lots. Backstage was supported by Delita D’Souza, Sean Fernandes, Meena Mascarenhas. Refreshments and snacks for the audience was taken care by Melwin Pinto and Edvin Pinto. The pictures and videography of the competition was taken care by Savious and while the cookery competition by Nishan D’Souza. Overall coordination was managed by MCC general secretary Kavita Tauro.

Cultural secretary Amith Mathias announced the much-awaited results in his own humorous style and congratulated all winners and participants for a spectacular evening of talents display. He mentioned that all winners will be honoured at the upcoming Nativity feast in September 2022.

Enthusiastic MCs Seema and Renzil conducted the whole event in their indomitable style in their maiden appearance at MCC event.

Mangalore Cricket Club congratulated the winners and thanked the participants, supporters, the judges, time keepers and all the well-wishers for their support and encouragement in realizing its motto, 'Yeya, Ek Kutam Bhandyan'. 

The results of the various competitions are as follows:

Fancy Dress Solo:

Children 0 to 6 years:

Boys:

1^stplace: Ryan Luke Saldanha
2^ndplace: Eshaan Neev D’Cunha 

Girls:

1^stplace: Jaelyn Claire D’Cunha
2^ndplace: Sienna Machado
3^rdplace: Kiara Crasta 

Children 6 to 9 years: 

Boys:

1^stplace: Melshan Pinto
2^ndplace: shared byReuben Harsh Fernandes and Ariston Johan D’Souza
3^rd place: Nealon Aurel D’Souza 

Girls:

1^st place: Sasha Sarah Sandeep
2^nd place: Rebecca Ann D’Silva

Children 9 to 12 years: 

Boys:

1^stplace: Melrin Pinto 

Girls:

1^stplace: Nathania Viona D’Souza
2^ndplace: Sandria Rihanna Loovis 

Konkani Speaking/Elocution: 

Children 6 to 9 years: 

Boys:

1^st place: Melshan Pinto 

Girls:

1^st place: Claressa D’Souza
2^nd place: Prenia Adel Pinto 

Children 9 to 12 years: 

Boys:

1^stplace: Ethan Johan Gonsalves
2^ndplace: Winson Chris Baretto 

Girls:

1^st place: Rowina Lobo
2^nd place: Sandria Rihanna Loovis
3^rd place: shared by 3 – Princia Annie Pinto, Leona Merlyn Saldanha and Nathania Viona D’Souza 

Children 12 to 15 years: 

Boys/Girls:

1^stplace: Michelle Loovis

Singing: 

Children 0 to 6 years: 

Boys:

1^st place: Keith Lawrence Menezes
2^nd place: Eshaan Neev D’Cunha 

Girls:

1^stplace: Kyrah Melwyn Pereira

Children 6 to 9 years: 

Boys:

1^st place: Reuben Harsh Fernandes
2^nd place: Melshan Pinto 

Girls:

1^st place: Sasha Sarah Sandeep
2^nd place: shared by two – Raizel Wilona Lasrado & Francia Menezes
3^rd place: Prenia Adel Pinto 

Children 9 to 12 years: 

Boys:

1^st place: Jayden Cletus D’Cunha 

Girls:

1^st place: Sandria Rihanna Loovis
2^nd place: Nathania Viona D’Souza
3^rd place: Natalie Anna Madtha 

Children 12 to 15 years: 

Boys:

1^stplace: Rishon Hasten Fernandes

Dance Solo: 

Children 0 to 6 years: 

Boys:

1^stplace: Ryan Luke Saldanha 

Girls:

1^stplace: Leora Pinto 

Children 6 to 9 years: 

Boys:

1^stplace: Ethan Sequeira 

Girls:

1^stplace: Raizel Wilona Lasrado
2^nd place:– Eshal Niya D’Cunha 

Children 9 to 12 years: 

Boys:

1^stplace: Maverick Norbert Mascarenhas 

Girls:

1^stplace: Nathania Viona D’Souza
2^nd place: Leona Merlyn Saldanha
3^rd place: Rowina Lobo 

Children 12 to 15 years:

1^stplace: Verina Adeline Mascarenhas 

Children 15 to 18 years:

1^stplace: Herleen Nicole D’Souza 

Cookery (above 18 years): 

Male/Female:

1^st place: Merlyn Seema
2^nd place: Vijaya D’Souza
3^rd place: Fiola Fernandes