The long-proposed Konkani Study Chair will start functioning at Mangalore University from June 12, according to president of Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy Roy Castelino.
Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, Mr. Castelino said that the new chair would have activities related to the development of Konkani language and its culture and also look at issues related to the language, which is one of the 22 national languages.
Mr. Castelino said that the academy has worked for the setting up of the chair, the only one in a university in the State, at Mangalore University.
It was the responsibility of the university to have discussions, seminars and research activities related to Konkani, he said.
The State government has granted Rs. 2 crore in this Budget for setting up the chair, he added.
Mr. Castelino said that the university should develop this chair as an apex body in conducting doctorate, post-doctorate and fellowship programmes in Konkani language studies.
It can also consider having online degrees, and have correspondence courses in Konkani. It can sign a memorandum of understanding with different agencies for interdisciplinary and multilingual studies.
Ambassador
The academy, Mr. Castelino said, was searching for an ambassador to inspire students to take up Konkani as their third language subject in schools.
Mr. Castelino said that now there was an opportunity to learn Konkani in degree courses.
Orders were being issued to introduce Konkani in the pre-university level.
The academy was trying to create more opportunities for students to take up Konkani between the sixth and 10th standards. He said that the ambassador should be Konkani-speaking person. He can also be a retired teacher or an educationalist. Interested persons can submit their bio-data to the academy, he added.
‘The State government granted Rs. 2 crore in this Budget for setting up the chair’
