Mangaluru: The Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy has announced honorary awards and book awards in various categories of Konkani literature for the year 2021.
Speaking to mediapersons on March 8, Academy President Dr Jagadish Pai said, “The honorary awards for the year 2021 will be given on Nagesh Anvekar for Konkani literature, Dinesh Prabhu Kallotte for Konkani art, and Madhav Kharvi for Konkani folk (Janapada).
He also mentioned that the Book Awards for 2021 will be given to Fr. Jovin Vishwas Sequeira for his collection of poems ‘Lharamchem Geet,’ Gopalakrishna Pai for his collection of Konkani short stories ‘Love letters vajjitolo mhantaro,’ and H. M. Pernal for his collection of critical essays on poems ‘Konkani Kavyem: Rupam Ani Rupakam.
In the last 32 years, H. M. Pernal has published over 500 poems. His poetry has been published in collections such as ‘Cholyank Chothrai,’ ‘Bamunanchem Cheddum,’ and ‘Kaidyachyo Kavita. Two collections of his short stories were also published. His literary works are largely influenced by life in the metropolis, having lived the majority of his life in Mumbai and Thane.
In the year 2012, Gopalakrishna Pai won the Central Sahitya Akademi award for his Kannada novel ‘Swapna Saraswat’ which was his first attempt in Konkani.
Fr. Jovin is the Assistant Parish Priest at Kulshekar church. His first collection of poems is titled ‘Lharamchem Geet.’ He was named The Best Poet at the All India Konkani Youth Sammelan in Goa earlier this year. Kavita Publications published both ‘Lharamchem Geet’ and ‘Konkani Kavyem: Rupam ani Rupakam.’
Members of the Academy Canute Jeevan Pinto, Gopal Krishna Bhat, Arun G. Shet, and Poornima Suresh were present.
