Leo Rodrigues Family Kittall Youth Award to Kiran Nirkan
Mangaluru: Promising youth writer Kiran Nirkan (Floyd Kiran Moras) has been chosen for the Leo Rodrigues Family Kittall Youth Award 2024. He has been contributing to Konkani literature in the form of poetry, essays, and children’s literature. Recently, Kavita Publications, the publication wing of Kavita Trust, published Nakthiram – a collection of poems exclusively written for young children.
A graduate in business administration with a strong passion for the Konkani language and literature, he pursued a postgraduate Konkani diploma from the Institute of Konkani, St. Aloysius Deemed to be University, and secured third rank by presenting a research essay on the subject “Depiction of Nature in Vally Vogga’s Short Stories.”
With a flair for journalism, he served as editor of Nirkanchem Keern and on the editorial board of Amcho Yuvak, the diocesan monthly for youth. He is a regular columnist for ARSO, a Konkani monthly. As an active member of the Karnataka Non-Residents Indians Association, UAE, he submits reports on literary and cultural events held in and around the UAE to the media houses of Karnataka. He is also hosting a regular interview series on News Karnataka media network from UAE.
As an organizer, he was instrumental in organizing two editions of the unique musical Geet Gozal in Dubai with celebrated lyricists Wilson Kateel and Melvyn Rodrigues. He has also hosted multilingual poetry sessions in the UAE. An ardent supporter of blood donation in the UAE, he campaigns for the cause of donating blood and saving lives and has donated blood 38 times so far.
With the sole motto of encouraging young Konkani writers, Abu Dhabi-based NRI entrepreneur, staunch Konkani supporter, and philanthropist Sri Leo Rodrigues has been sponsoring the Kittall Youth Award for the last 12 years. The award carries a purse of Rs. 25,000/- and a citation.
Kittall is a premier Konkani literature web portal, published nonstop since 2011 by Konkani poet, storyteller, critic, and currently a member of the Konkani Advisory Board, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi – H M Pernal. JoCy Siddakatte, Wilma Bantwal, Stany Bela, Melwyn Kolalgiri, Wilson Kateel, Roshu Bajpe, and Clive D’Souza are prominent youth writers who have been bestowed with the Leo Rodrigues Family Kittall Youth Award in the past.
The award to Kiran Nirkan will be presented on Saturday, 5th October 2024, at P F X Saldanha Auditorium, MCC Bank Admin Office at Hampankatta at 7:00 p.m. Member of Legislative Council Sri Ivan D’Souza will be the Chief Guest, and Sri Anil Lobo, Chairman of MCC Bank, will be the Guest of Honour at the award presentation ceremony.