Pics: Abhijith N Kolpe
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru, Mar 19: The two-day annual Vishwa Konkani Samaroh, celebrating the Konkani language, literature and culture was inaugurated by Jnanapith awardee Konkani writer, Damodar Mauzo here on Saturday March 19, at the World Konkani Centre here. Konkani Bhas Ani Sanskriti Prathistan, in association with Kendra Sahitya Academy, Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy, Konkani Adhyayan Peeth, Mangalore University and Kavita Trust are organising the Vishwa Konkani Samaroh 2022.
D Bhushan Bhave, executive board member, Kendra Sahitya Academy, New Delhi; Dr Jagadish Pai, president, Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy; Dr Jaywant Nayak, coordinator, Konkani Adhyayan Peeth, Mangaluru University; Dr Dayananda Pai, chairman, Konkani Bhas Ani Sanskriti Prathistan; Nandagopal Shenoy, president, Konkani Bhas Ani Sanskriti Prathistan, poet Melvyn Rodrigues and others were present.
A symposium on ‘Life and Work of Basti Vaman Shenoy’ was held at 10 am in association with the Kendra Sahitya Academy. Payyanur Ramesh Pai, Konkani author and advisory member of the Kendra Sahitya Academy, led the panel. Dr Kiran Budkuley, former dean, Goa University, Edward Sequiera, Konkani Stage Prodigy, Shakunthala R Kini, Konkani poetess, Panduranga Phaladesai, Konkani Folk prodigy, presented the life and achievements of Basti Vaman Shenoy. D Bhushan Bhave was the honorary president for the event. Nandagopal Shenoy, delivered the inaugural address at the symposium.
A research harvest session on ‘Migration and Settlement Pattern of Konkani People’ was held at 10:30 am in association with Konkani Adhyayan Peeth, Mangaluru University. Dr Geetha Shenoy and Jaison Jeevan Sequiera will be submitting their thesis based on Social Science and Genetics, respectively. Dr K Sathyamurthy, director, Cell and Molecular Biology, MAHE, and Dr Y Ravindranath Rao, renowned sociologist, joined the session as the external reviewers.
Competitions and exhibitions are organized for the Mahila Sanghas of Konkani speaking communities on Saturday. The Mahila Sanghas are invited to exhibit the activities organised by them in the past five years, based on which, the Best Mahila Sangha will be awarded. The exhibition of the activities of Mahila Sanghas will be inaugurated by Dr Geetha Shenoy, Konkani author and researcher, at 2 pm on Saturday. Konkani Aashu Kavita, Konkani delicacy using millets, Konkani traditional quilt exhibition, Konkani quiz and Kolaata dance competition have been organized for the members of Mahila Sanghas Konkani communities.
Konkani Litfest will be held from 2.30 pm to 6 pm on March 19 and 20 in association with the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy. A conversation on ‘Konkani Literature: Jnanapith and Future Prospects’ between Damodar Mauzo, Jnanpith Awardee Konkani author and H M Pernal, Konkani author, will be held at 3 pm on Saturday. Panel discussions on ‘Konkani Education: Current Situation and Future’, ‘Konkani in Digital Media’, ‘Konkani Kitchen: Problems in Globalization’, ‘Problems faced by Indigenous Konkani Family Business’ and ‘Konkani Stage Acts and Cinema: A Scenario’, will also be held in the presence of various Konkani authors and representatives of different Konkani communities.
A folk programme from the children of Siddhi community will take place at 4 pm on Saturday, followed by the Kolaata from the members of the Konkani Mahila Sanghas.
March 20
The Vishwa Konkani Puraskar - The Annual Ceremony to award Smt Vimala V. Pai Vishwa Konkani Sahitya Puraskar and Shri Basti Vaman Shenot Vishwa Konkani Seva Puraskar will be held at 10 am on the March 20. T V Mohandas Pai, chairman, Manipal Global Education, will deliver the felicitation speech on this occasion.
Massam, a collection of Konkani short stories by Antony Barkur (Antony Prakash Dsouza), has been chosen as the Best Konkani Book of the Year (Prose) for Smt Vimala V Pai Vishwa Konkani Sahitya Puraskar 2021. Indradhonu Udeum, a collection of Konkani poems by Uday Narasinha Mhambro, has been selected as the Best Konkani Book of the Year (Poetry) for Smt. Vimala V. Pai Vishwa Konkani Kavita Kruti Puraskar 2021. Suresh Jaywant Borkar has been identified as the recipient for the Smt Vimala V Pai Vishwa Konkani Jeevan Siddhi Samman 2021 for his lifetime contribution to Konkani Language pedagogy, grammar, and lexicography.
Corrine A Rasquinha, the founder president of White Doves Psychiatric Nursing and Destitute Home, Mangaluru and Dr Padmanabha Kamath, founder, CAD Foundation have been selected for the Basti Vaman Shenoy Vishwa Konkani Seva Puraskar 2021.
The awards carry prize money of Rs 1 lac each, along with an award which will be bestowed on the recipients by Damodar Mauzo.
The valedictory ceremony for various competitions held for the members of the Konkani Mahila Sangha will take place on the March 20. The best Mahila Sangha will be awarded a prize money of Rs 25,000. The release of the Konkani books from the Aashavadi Publications will take place at 12:30 pm on the March 20.
The Konkani Young Writers' Conclave, in association with the Kavita Trust, will be held at 2 pm on March 20. The participants stand a chance to interact with Damodar Mauzo.