Mangaluru: “A community will progress if the works on language, culture, and literature, and the people associated with it are honoured,” said T V Mohandas Pai, Chairman, Manipal Global Education, during the felicitation speech at the Vishwa Konkani Puraskar 2022 the annual award ceremony organised by Konkani Bhas Ani Sanskriti Prathistan, World Konkani Centre, Mangaluru on Sunday, the 20th March 2022 at 10.00 a.m. He further urged that ” The youngsters of the community must be empowered with this knowledge to reach higher milestones.”
The Vishwa Konkani Puraskar, comprising of 3 awards on Konkani Literature in the name of Vimala V. Pai, and 2 awards on Social Service rendered by Konkani people in the name of Basti Vaman Shenoy, the late founder of World Konkani Centre.
The Awards were conferred by Damodar Mauzo, the Jnanpith awardee Konkani writer. He recalled that back in 2012 he was the recipient of Vimala V. Pai Vishwa Konkani Sahitya Puraskar. He said with the inspiration with the awards he could contribute more to the Konkani literature and went on to be chosen for the greater awards of the world including the Jnanapith Award the highest literary award of the country. He congratulated the winners of the Vishwa Konkani Award 2021 and wished them that they too will be bestowed with inspiration to do greater work in the future and honoured with National and international awards for their work.
Nandagopal Shenoy, President, Konkani Bhas ani Sanskriti Prathistan, welcomed the dignitaries at the gathering.
Vimala V. Pai Vishwa Konkani Sahitya Puraskar given for the Best Konkani Book of the year was conferred on Antony Barkur for “Massam (मासां), a collection of Konkani short stories. Konkani Poet Uday Mhambro was conferred with Vimala V.Pai Vishwa Konkani Kavita Kruti Puraskar for his anthology of poems, Indradhonu Udeum (इंद्रधोणू उदेवं). Veteran Konkani Grammarian and lexicographer Suresh Jaywant Borkar was conferred with Vimala V. Pai Vishwa Konkani Jeevan Siddhi Samman 2021 for the lifetime contribution to Konkani Language pedagogy, grammar, and lexicography.
Smt Corrine A. Rasquinha and Dr Padmanabha Kamath were conferred with the Basti Vaman Shenoy Seva Puraskar 2021. Corrine A. Rasqinha was felicitated for her enormous work on the destitute of society through her White Dove Foundation. Dr Padmanabha Kamath is the founder of Cardiology at the Doorstep Foundation which has established a network of Cardiologists and ECG machines in rural India.
The Awards carries prize money of Rs. 1.00 Lakh each and a memento.
Trustees Melvyn Rodrigues, Payyanur Ramesh Pai, Gilbert D’Souza, B. R. Bhat and Dr Kiran Budkuey escorted the awardees to the dais and introduced them to the audience.
Damodar Mauzo was honoured with Temples of Goa, Coffee Table Book as a token of gratitude for taking the Konkani literature to great heights.
Giridhar Kamath, Secretary, Konkani Bhas Ani Sanskriti Prathistan, delivered the vote of thanks.
