Vishwa Konkani awards presented to winners

A community will progress if the works on language, culture and literature and the people associated with it are honoured, Manipal Global Education Chairman T V Mohandas Pai said during the felicitation speech at the annual Vishwa Konkani Puraskar award ceremony organised by Konkani Bhas Ani Sanskriti Prathistan at World Konkani Centre on Sunday.

He added that the youth in the community should be empowered with this knowledge to reach higher milestones.

Vishwa Konkani Puraskar comprises three awards on Konkani Literature, instituted in memory of Vimala V Pai, and two awards on social service rendered by Konkani people in memory of Basti Vaman Shenoy, the late founder of World Konkani Centre.

Konkani writer and Jnanpith awardee Damodar Mauzo while presenting the awards recollected that he was a recipient of Vimala V Pai Vishwa Konkani Sahitya Puraskar in 2012.

He said the award had inspired him to contribute more to Konkani literature.

He went on to be chosen for greater awards including Jnanpith Award - the highest literary award in the country.

He congratulated the winners of the Vishwa Konkani Award and wished that they too will be inspired like him to do greater work in the future.

Konkani Bhas Ani Sanskriti Prathistan President Nandagopal Shenoy welcomed the dignitaries.

Vimala V Pai Vishwa Konkani Sahitya Puraskar given for the Best Konkani Book of the year was presented to Antony Barkur for 'Massam', a collection of Konkani short stories.

Konkani Poet Uday Mhambro was conferred with Vimala V Pai Vishwa Konkani Kavita Kruti Puraskar for his anthology of poems, 'Indradhonu Udeum'.

Veteran Konkani grammarian and lexicographer Suresh Jaywant Borkar was conferred Vimala V Pai Vishwa Konkani Jeevan Siddhi Samman for the lifetime contribution to Konkani Language pedagogy, grammar and lexicography.

Corrine A Rasquinha and Dr Padmanabha Kamath were conferred with the Basti Vaman Shenoy Seva Puraskar 2021.

Corrine A Rasquinha was felicitated in recognition of her work for the destitutes in society through her White Dove Foundation.

Dr Padmanabha Kamath is the founder of Cardiology at the Doorstep (CAD) Foundation which has established a network of cardiologists and ECG machines in rural India.

The award includes prize money of Rs 1 lakh and a memento each.

Trustees Melvyn Rodrigues, Payyanur Ramesh Pai, Gilbert D’Souza, B R Bhat and Dr Kiran Budkuey introduced awardees to the audience.

Damodar Mauzo was presented with a Coffee Table Book, 'Temples of Goa'.

Konkani Bhas Ani Sanskriti Prathistan Secretary Giridhar Kamath was also present.

Dr Kamath dedicates award to beneficiaries

Dr Padmanabha Kamath, founder of Cardiology at the Doorstep (CAD) Foundation, later tweeted, dedicating the award to all beneficiaries of the CAD foundation.

“Whatever I am today, is because of their blessings. Goes without saying the prize money is deposited in the CAD Foundation account,” his tweet read.