Mangalore varsity to start PG course in Konkani

Study chair to have a separate building, says VC Byrappa

Mangalore University will start a postgraduate course in Konkani language from the next academic year, Vice-chancellor K Byrappa. 

Speaking at a programme organised to release the working plan of the Konkani Study Chair at University College here on Thursday, he said there is a need to establish a separate building for the chair. Till then, the chair would operate from the University College in Hampankatta, he stated.

The government has sanctioned Rs 2 crore for the chair and it will be deposited as the revolving fund and the interest generated by this amount would be used to conduct activities, such as seminars, workshops and special lectures, he added. 

The statutes of the university would be amended to appoint an honorary director to the chair.The honorary director would be a person who has contributed significantly to Konkani literature, Prof Byrappa added. 

The VC said he has contacted the Department of Konkani in Goa University to seek recommendations for the formation of the Board of Studies for drafting the syllabus for the course.The recommendations would be kept placed before the Syndicate and the Academic Council and the course would start from July-August, he stated. 

Prof Byrappa said the work on the Konkani-Kannada dictionary, printed by the university’s Prasaranga, would be completed soon. The dictionary would be released by the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy, he added.

In his keynote address, Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy President Roy Castelino said 50 Konkani books have been published by the academy. Next year, the academy would bring out 25 more books, he said.

The memorandum of understanding on the establishment of the chair was handed to the VC by academy Castelino. The VC said the MoU will be tabled at the Syndicate meeting for approval. 

J Elvira Monteiro, teacher at Kuloor High School, was awarded Jessi Castelino Memorial Award for best teaching in Konkani on the occasion. The award carried a cash prize of Rs 5,000 and a memento.

Academy Registrar B Devdas Pai and Chair Coordinator Jayavanth Nayak were present.

Books released
Konkani books ‘Konkani Gamaka’, penned by Vishwanath Shet, ‘Sukidad’, a novel authored by Lancy Pinto Nayak, ‘Chintana Zhar’, a collection of articles by Jayashree Shenoy and ‘Vadlen Vesth’, a collection of short stories written by Dr Edward L Nazreth were released by Zilla Kannada Sahitya Parishat President Pradeep Kumar Kalkura on the occasion.