Plans to strengthen Konkani education in schools, colleges

Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy President Roy Castellino has said the academy is planning to strengthen Konkani education in schools and colleges.

Briefing reporters, on Monday, he said more children needs to be motivated to learn Konkani in schools. To create awareness on Konkani among children, the academy is planning to bring out CD on Konkani songs, cartoons and learning materials for the children.

To create awareness on 41 Konkani speaking communities and also on Konkani languages spoken by then, a Coffee table book on Konkani will be brought out by the academy in English language. “We are also planning to organise various cultural programmes and will take Konkani among the mass through TV and radio. Konkani programmes will be aired in FM radio,” he said.

Castellino said “to introduce the culture of other communities, ‘Samskrithika Sangama’ programme will be organised at various locations,”  he added. The Academy has already prepared two documentary in Konkani language. The work on third documentary is in progress.

There is a need to take up research and documentation on language, literature, publishing of Konkani study books, documenting Konkani art and folklore, and also conducting a census of Konkani speaking artistes. The Konkani also needs a dictionary for science and technology.

‘Konkani Porab’

The academy, in association with Mathaacharya Trust, Honnavar, will organise a three-day ‘Konkani Porab’ programmes at Eco beach at Kasarakoda in Honnavara from March 15.

A multi-lingual poets meet will be held on March 16. The meet will be inaugurated by litterateur Vidambari. Poets will present their poems in Marati, Kannada, Hindi, Sanskrit, English, Urdu and Konkani languages. Cultural programmes like ‘Yaksha nritya,’ classical dance, ‘holi nritya,’ and others will be staged.

‘Konkani chair’

He said the academy is mulling over setting up a Konkani Study Chair, at Mangalore University. An appeal was made to the State government to release Rs 2 crore to set up the chair in the university.

The chair aims at taking up a research on the history of Konkani language and development, documenting folklores, and rituals related to culture and promoting interdisciplinary research.