Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jan 6: Eminent Konkani poet Marian Paul Rodrigues, popularly known as M P Rodrigues, passed away on Sunday January 5, in the United States.
Born on July 6, 1946, in Kaudur village near Gurpur, Rodrigues hailed from an agricultural family. His love for nature was evident in his poetry. Strongly influenced by Louis Mascarenhas in the construction of his lines and rhymes, Rodrigues often ventured beyond traditional poetry into the realm of modern poetry. Unlike many poets, his work predominantly depicted social life rather than personal experiences.
Rodrigues held a degree in economics and spent over three decades working in Dubai. He was the recipient of the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy Award for his poetry collection Rumddi Fulam, published by Kavita Publications. In 2015, he was honoured with the Kavita Trust's Mathias Family Poetry Award.
In addition to poetry, Rodrigues wrote short stories and articles. He also authored ‘Rasthya Degechim Fulam’, another collection of poems. His poetry collection 'Rastya Degechim Fulam' won for him Goa Konkani Akademi award in the year 2024. His ambitious book 'Dev Monxeant Ailo' was published in August 2023. He has translated couple of books into Konkani, prominent among them is "Kanttyacho Khuris'.
As a talented singer, he performed numerous songs and participated in radio programs. He attributed his artistic growth to his mentors Sirivanth, Fr Sila Minez, and Fr J S T Rodrigues.
According to family sources, Rodrigues’ funeral will be held in Mangaluru, with further details awaited.