Mangaluru: Raknno, the Konkani-English bilingual weekly published from Mangaluru, has announced the winners of its Annual Literary Awards – 2025. This year, the Best Author of the Year award has been conferred upon Richard Alvares of Kulshekar, while the Best Parish Magazine award has been bagged by Izoicho Kalo from St Francis Xavier Church, Bejai.
The awards will be presented by Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, Bishop of Mangalore, on Sunday, September 14 at 10:00 am at St Joseph Church Hall, Bajpe.
Recognising Konkani literary excellence
Raknno, established in 1938, is one of the most respected Konkani weeklies in the region and has been at the forefront of promoting Konkani language and culture. Since last year, the publication has instituted these annual awards to honour excellence in Konkani literature and parish publications.
Entries for the awards were invited earlier this year, and after a thorough scrutiny process by an editorial panel and judges, the winners were selected.
Editor Fr Rupesh Madtha and the editorial board congratulated the awardees, emphasising that such recognitions aim to encourage creativity and strengthen the role of Konkani literature in contemporary society.
Book release and literary discussions
Following the award presentation, Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha will also release ‘Bhorvoshachye Vater’, the 134th book brought out by Raknno Publications.
The event will additionally feature two presentations on the importance of Konkani literature and the reading habit in the digital era, highlighting the challenges and opportunities faced by regional languages today.
The programme is being organised by Raknno Weekly in collaboration with the Bajpe parish community.
Conclusion
By honouring writers and parish magazines, Raknno continues its mission of preserving and nurturing Konkani language and culture. The 2025 awards not only celebrate literary contributions but also reaffirm the publication’s enduring legacy of more than eight decades.