Activist Basti Vaman Shenoy passes away

Konkani activist and founder of World Konkani Centre at Shaktinagar in Mangaluru — Basti Vaman Shenoy — passed away on Sunday. He was 87.

Family sources said that Shenoy’s health was deteriorating due to age-related illness for the last couple of months.

The mortal remains will be kept at World Konkani Centre for public homage between 9 am and 10 am on January 3 and later will be cremated at his birthplace in Bantwal at 12 noon.

Shenoy had been involved with the Konkani Bhasha Mandal since 1980. He was made the organising secretary of the Konkani jatha movement for organising people to demand setting up of Konkani Academy. In 1993, he became the president of Konkani Bhasha Mandal Karnataka.

He had played a pivotal role in pressuring the government to set up Konkani Academy.

Shenoy organised the first World Konkani Convention in Mangaluru in 1995 and was honoured with the title of ‘Vishwa Konkani Sardar’ (World Leader of Konkani).

The convention gave a mandate to establish the World Konkani Centre in Mangaluru, for the preservation and promotion of Konkani language, art and culture.

In 1997, Shenoy became the president of Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy and served for two terms till 2001. He initiated efforts to introduce Konkani in the schools as the optional third language.

In 2002, he organised the 20th Adhiveshan of All India Konkani Parishad in Mangaluru. In 2004, he became the president of All India Konkani Parishad.

In 2008, under the banner of Konkani Language and Cultural Foundation (KLCF), Shenoy initiated Vishwa Konkani Abhiyan aimed at creating opportunities for interaction between Konkani writers and scholars with their counterparts in other languages of the country.

The World Konkani Kendra was inaugurated in 2009 which consists of a library, a museum and convention facilities such as board room, seminar hall and auditorium.

In 2010, Vishwa Konkani Bhasha Samsthan (World Institute of Konkani Language) and World Konkani Hall of Fame were inaugurated at World Konkani Kendra.

Karnataka government had also conferred him a Rajyotsava award in 2010.

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