Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (AF/GA)

Mangalore, Apr 10: Well-known Konkani poet and vice-president of Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Mumbai J B Sequeira will preside over the 18th All-India Konkani Sahitya Sammelan to be held at Curchorem in Madgaon, Goa from May 4 to May 6.

This was announced by Parishad executive president Dinesh R Manerkar at press conference here on Tuesday April 10. The Sammelan has been organized by All-India Konkani Parishad in association with Konkani Kala Sahitya Kendra, Curchorem, Goa.

As many as 5,000 delegates from across the country are expected to be present.

The event will be inaugurated at 4 pm on May 4 followed by a symposium on ‘Role of Translation in the Development of Konkani’ on May 5. There will also be two poetry sessions for veteran as well as budding poets on the same day, Manerkar said.

The final day of the Sammelan May 6 will be dedicated to children with a poetry session for them along with a symposium on the subject of children’s literature.

Cultural programmes will be held as part of the event on all three days in which troupes from all over the country will perform. Renowned Tamil writer Shivashankari will be the chief guest for the valedictory, Manerkar said.

About J B Sequeira:

John Baptist Sequeira, better known as J B Sequeira was born at Mumbai but spent most of his childhood in Dakshina Kannada. He completed his primary and high school education at Pangla and Katapadi in Udupi district and migrated to Mumbai in 1956.

In his early 20s, he wrote his first Konkani novel, ‘Solvonint Jik’. Known as ‘Kaviraj’ Sequeira has been awarded by Sandesha Foundation, Raknno Konkani weekly, and Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy for the service he has rendered to the Konkani literary world.

Among those present were Parishad secretary Geeta C Kini, former editor of Raknno weekly Fr Eric Crasta, Akhila Bharatiy Konkani Parishad and others.