Chinna flags off Konkani literary chariot in City

It will travel to all 120 schools where the language is taught

Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Acedemy will be organising Konkani Students’ Youth Convention (Konkani Vidyarthi Yuvajana Sammelana) to promote awareness among the youth about the language.

The convention will be held by the end of this academic year. The Acedemy is also planning to conduct conventions for theatre and cine artists and also for litterateurs in the language.

Addressing a gathering after flagging off the ‘Konkani Literary Chariot’ at Lourdes Central School in Bejai, Academy President Kasargod Chinna said that the Acedemy is pledged to promote the language and will strive hard to create awareness among the next generation.

Apart from organising the conventions, the Academy is also planning to extend its helping hands to the needy in the community.

“The Academy will give a platform for the handicapped artistes from the community to showcase their talent and also will honour such talents,” Kasargod Chinna said.

Aiming at transforming Academy to a cultural centre, it will also organise cultural activities for the school students once in 15 days and once in 30 days for college students. The Academy President said that it will also organise regular talks by eminent personalities from different walks of life.

Chariot to travel 120 schools

Kasargod Chinna informed that the ‘Konkani Literary Chariot’ will travel to all the 120 schools in the region where Konkani is being taught. Around 18000 books worth Rs 10 lakh, will be distributed to these 120 schools within one month.

“The initiative will help in having a separate section for Konkani literary works in school libraries. Students should understand how diverse their language is and should make use of it,” he said.

Academy’s former president Eric Ozario said that because of the demand for Konkani Academy, other regional languages like Tulu and Kodava got their respective Sahitya academies.

“When we demanded for an academy for the development and promotion of Konkani, other minority languages like Tulu and Kodava language activists too demanded separate academies. That’s how the then Chief Minister Dr M Veerappa Moily granted permission for all the academies. We can proudly say, Konkani has also contributed for the development of other languages in a way,” he said.

Expert Educational Institutions President Narendra Nayak, Lourdes Central School Correspondent Fr Victor Machado, School Principal Fr Ferdinand Gonsalves, ‘Konkani Literary Chariot’ Convener Roy Castelino and Academy Member Mahesh Nayak among others were present.