Mangalore, May 7: Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy organized a press conference on Tuesday May 6 at Konkani Sahitya Academy, Mangalore, to brief about the various projects, planning, and work to be undertaken in the next three years.

 

Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy president Roy Castelino briefed about the projects. He said, “A language which develops with culture and literature grows faster. The Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy works for Konkani education, Konkani culture, and Konkani literature. In order to keep up the identity and to maintain the growth of the Konkani language, it is necessary that children should learn Konkani in schools.”

 

“Konkani Prachar Sanchalan was responsible for keeping up the continuity of learning Konkani in school through support and hard work. At present, Konkani is taught in 56 higher primary schools and 16 high schools in Kannada script. The children have been answering the Konkani paper during the SSLC exam over the past three years even in high schools. Karnataka Konkani Linguistic Minority Association president Dr Mohan Pai has made a great effort by supporting teaching the language in 13 schools in Devanagari script with the backing of the Vishwa Konkani Kendra," he added

 

"In order to disseminate information about the learning of Konkani, the Academy has organized ‘Konkani Jagruti Abhiyan’ over the past several years. Konkani drama repertory ‘Kalakul’ team has organized street plays to create awareness in people to learn Konkani in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and also in Uttar Kannada. It is necessary that the government should give permission to teach Konkani at the PUC level. The registrar of the Academy, Dr Devdas Pai is working hard to get permission from the government to introduce Konkani in PUC since the last two years. For the past 20 years, Konkani has been taught in St Aloysius College. Konkani will also be taught in Rosario, Padua, and Kirem-Aikala colleges at the degree level as a second language from this year. In order to reach the goal of Konkani education, it is necessary to recruit Konkani teachers in schools. The necessary process will be set in motion by the Academy so as to achieve this. Till that time, a stipend will be given to teachers of Konkani and text books will be given free or at subsidized rates to children learning Konkani,” he said.

 

Explaining to the media about their plans, Castelino said, "The Academy plans to start Konkani clubs in schools and colleges for the development of Konkani literature and cultural programmes. The Academy is also organizing ‘Konkani Manyata Divas’ in schools and colleges and conducting Konkani competitions, thereby encouraging children. The Academy has plans to start a diploma course in Konkani for those interested in the Konkani language. For this, help is being sought from Konkani ‘pandits’ like Fr Pratap Nayak from Goa, Fr Valerian Fernandes, and other Konkani scholars.”

 

Explaining about ‘Mobile Konkani Bazar’, he said, “In spite of publishing Konkani books in today’s digital world, the percentage of readers of Konkani books has come down. In order to improve the sale of Konkani books, the Acadmey has planned a ‘Mobile Konkani Bazaar’, a mobile book store, so that it can reach individuals in selling books and CDs. This consists of a vehicle, a driver, and a conductor and it will move from place to place. This facility will be introduced by the end of May 2014, and it will be available in urban as well as rural areas."

 

"In Karnataka, there are 41 Konkani-speaking communities and they have different Konkani cultures. It is necessary to learn in depth about these cultures which will help them to come forward. There is a plan to introduce Konkani drama training centres all over Karnataka state to develop interest in Konkani drama among the youth. The Academy is planning to select 10 interested dramatists from Bangalore, Mysore, Hubli, Mangalore, and eight other districts to train them at Mangalore so that they will be able to start the Konkani repertory and encourage the youths in the field of Konkani drama. To do this, the Academy will seek support from great dramatists like Christopher Ninasam and Arun Raj Rodrigues," said Castelino.

 

"At present, the Konkani Academy is functioning from the Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) building. It is the dream of all Konkani people to have their own building. The matter has been discussed with MUDA officials. The Academy may get a place for their new office in the upcoming projects of MUDA at Urwa Store or Urwa Market. The Konkani programmes will be broadcast through radio and e-media network to reach every Konkani-speaking person. The Konkani Academy plans to broadcast various Konkani cultural programmes, debates, discussions, songs, and different Konkani programmes for children via FM radio and ‘Akashwani’. In the coastal region of Karnataka, people of different languages like Tulu, Konkani, Kodava, Beary, and other religions mingle with Kannada culture and live in unity and harmony. By mingling with local academies, the Konkani Academy is planning to organize different cultural programmes to uphold the local culture,” he added.

 

In addition to this, Castelino explained, "Apart from all this, the Konkani Academy is organizing different Konkani seminars, free distribution of Konkani books to libraries of different schools, scholarship for children learning Konkani, ‘Pratibha Karanji’ competitions, holiday camps for children, Konkani literature seminars, ‘Konkani Sangeet Utsav’, ‘Konkani Manyata Day’ celebrations, youth festivals, Konkani programmes outside the states, purchase of Konkani books and CDs, bulletins published once in three months and other cultural programmes.” 

 

"These are the various projects and works that will be carried out by the Konkani Academy during the year 2014-2017. The Konkani Academy is intended to build a bridge between the Konkani people and the government. The Academy’s main purpose is to reach the goal and achieve success in promoting Konkani language and culture in the coming three years to a greater extent."

 

Devadas Pai, Mamatha Kamath, and Aravind Shanbagh were also present at the press meet.