Media Release
Mangaluru, Aug 8: Chandrakala K, APRO of St Aloysius (deemed to be university) and a student of 24th batch of the postgraduate diploma in Konkani, was awarded first rank during the 14th graduation ceremony of St Aloysius College (Autonomous) Mangaluru.
She has received a rank certificate, gold medal and a cash prize. Second place was awarded to Arthur Pereira, Omzoor, a well-known poet, and third place received by Floyd Kiran Moras Nirkan, a writer and compere. Preeta Lynette Pereira, who secured the fourth place, was honoured with a certificate.
Chandrakala K wrote her dissertation on 'Bhalavalikar/Rajapur saraswath community of South Kannada District and their prevailing cultures'. Arthur Pereira Omzoor's dissertation titled 'Mand Sobhann - Konkani language and culture', while Floyd Kiran Moras wrote on 'Nature in the selected stories of Writer Valli Vagga' and Preeta Lynette Pereira's dissertation focused on 'Konkani Catholic Marriages Now and Then – A biographical study'.
The graduation ceremony, held on July 13, in the Loyola auditorium, saw 1,725 students receiving undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate diplomas. Among them, 79 students were honoured with ranks and 20 with special prizes.
The chief guest of the ceremony was Prof Dr S S Rao president of the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). In his speech, TS GS Sitaram emphasized the need for students to continuously learn and acquire skills, especially in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). He highlighted the importance of soft skills, technology integration, and personal learning for success in a mutable world.
Fr Melwin Joseph Pinto SJ pro-chancellor of St Aloysius (deemed to be university) and Rector of St Aloysius Institutions, Mangaluru, urged graduates to reflect on their contributions to society, country, and humanity, stressing the value of social responsibility.
The guests were escorted to the dais by the college band, and the college choir led the gathering in prayer. Jesuit Karnataka Provincial Fr Dionysius Vaz, SJ, vice-chancellor Dr Praveen Vijay Martis, SJ and the director of institute of Konkani, Dr Melwyn S Pinto were present. Dr Alwyn D’Sa read out the names of those who secured ranks. Dr Reji John, convener of the XIV graduation day programme, proposed the vote of thanks. Dr Mona Mendonca, Manoj Fernandes and Alita D’Sa compered the programme.
Overview of the postgraduate diploma in Konkani
The institute of Konkani, St Aloysius College (Autonomous), Mangaluru, has been offering a 2-year postgraduate diploma in Konkani (distance education) since 1994. Applications are now being accepted for the academic year 2024-25. The programme is open to those who have passed the pre-university examination and above.
Course Details
- First year: history of Konkani language, literature, theatre, poetry, and journalism
- Second year: Konkani folklore, grammar, Konkani in digital media, and NLP
At the end of the course, students must submit a dissertation on topics related to Konkani history, literature, culture, drama, or journalism. Internal examinations are held every two months, and final open-book examinations are conducted at the end of each academic year (March/April).
The programme includes five-day contact classes over two years, during which experts provide guidance for dissertation preparation. Notes are available in both Devanagari and Kannada scripts. The total course fee is Rs. 4,700 for two years (including GST), and scholarships are available for deserving students.
For more details, contact:
The director, institute of Konkani, St Aloysius College (Autonomous), Mangaluru, Karnataka, India
Phone: (0824) 2007394 or 9481527394 (WhatsApp)
The last date for admission for the 26th batch is August 30.