By scheduling its annual award ceremony at Dharwad on June 22, the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy hopes to take the reach of the language outside the coastal districts.
Since 1995, ceremonies to hand over honorary awards and literature awards have all been held in towns on the coastal belt – Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts – which have a sizeable Konkani-speaking population.
Roy Castelino, president of the academy, said, “The academy is for Konkani speakers across the State, and we realise that many Konkani speakers – mainly from the trader community – reside in Hubli and Dharwad. This will be an encouragement for them to get involved in the language.”
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The award ceremony will be preceded by a procession and cultural show by 14 Konkani troupes. Minister of State for Kannada and Culture Umashree and Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies Dinesh Gundu Rao will present the awards, he said.
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Nine Konkani writers, poets, essayists and achievers in sport will be given the award for the year 2013-14. Though scheduled in mid-2013, the awards had been kept in abeyance after the previous president was asked to resign following a change in government, said Mr. Castelino.
The ceremony will see awards distributed in three categories – Honorary awards, Konkani Book Award and Konkani Youth Award.
The honorary awards will be given to 81-year-old N.B. Kamath from Ankola for his contribution to Konkani literature, Moodbidri-resident Babu Gowda Mainderi (63) for furthering the cause of Konkani folk arts, and John M. Permannur (66) from Mangalore for his oeuvre of songs composed for Konkani drama.
Konkani novel ‘Kalen Bhangar’, authored by Edwin J.F. D’Souza (66), clinched the Konkani Book Award under the novel section; Andrew L. D’Cunha’s poetry book collection ‘Anjurachen Paan’ will get the award under the poetry category, while Konkani monthly newspaper editor Francis Rodrigues will be felicitated for his essay ‘Meet Mirsang’.
The Konkani Youth Awards will be given to author and poet Joseph Cyril D’Souza, painter Shanta P. Kolle and Nivedita Sawanta, a national-level shot putter who is also a model for the youth by scoring 93.12 per cent in Class 10 examinations, said Mr. Castelino.