Nine outstanding Konkani personalities chosen for Academy Awards

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, June 7, 2014: A total of nine outstanding Konkani    personalities have been chosen for the  Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy Awards for the year 2013-14.

This was informed to reporters here on June 6, Friday by Roy Castelino, President of the Academy.

He said the prestigious Konkani literary Honorary Award will go to N Balakrishna Kamath Ankola  while John M Permannur (art), Edwin J F D’Souza (novel), Andrew L D’Cunha (poetry) Babu Gowda Mainderi (folk) and Fr Francis Rodrigues (essay) will also receive the Academy Awards. Konkani youth rewards will be conferred on Bro.Joseph Cyril D’Souza, Shantha P Kolle and Nivedita Savanta, Castelino informed.

Castelino said the Konkani literary Honorary Award winner Balakrishna Kamath has authored several dramas including ‘Moga mogare,‘ ‘Geeta Samwada,’ ‘Satyanarayanu’ ‘Dingdile lagn’ and ‘Post menali pacheeti’ while he has also authored a prose-poem collection named ‘Sasara Saagaru.’

The Konkani Folk Award winner  Babu Gowda of Moodbidri  is  a Gumat artiste of Kodial Kudubi community. He is well versed in presenting Ramayana in Konkani and also dance. Another awardee John  M Permannur hails from Jeppu  and is known for his acting and direction skills.The plays  ‘Chukun gelli sheli,’ ‘Ratnagiricho sardar,’ ‘Pas’ and ‘Kistu puran’ have been directed by him and he is in the theatrical field since 1970.
Edwin J F D’Souza  will receive the Academy Award for his novel - ‘Kalem Bhangar.’ He has also authored 33 novels and over 100 short stories etc.

His story ‘Chokletam’  has been  published in Readers’ Digest monthly and he is presently Working Director of Konkani Institution of St Aloysius College in Mangalore.
Andrew L D’Cunha’s Poem ‘Anjurachem Paan’  has also been chosen for the Award, while   Fr Francis Rodrigues  won the award for his ‘Meet meersaang’ essay. He hails from Moodbidri and  has worked as editor ‘Raknno’ and ‘Kajulo’.

Konkani Youth Award winner Bro. Joseph Cyril D’Souza is popular as Jo C Siddakatte and is assistant editor of Konkani weekly Naman Balok Jeju.

Another awardee Shantha P Kolle  from Karki, Honnavar is an expert in glass painting, canvas painting, oil painting, and book designing.

Nivedita Savanta from Karwar is a meritorious student as well as a talented athlete.

The Award presentation ceremony will be held at Patila Puttappa Sabha Bhavan at  Dharwad  on June 22  at 4 pm.

Academy Registrar Devadas Pai, Standing Committee President Lawrence D’Souza were present at the press meet.