Mangalore: WKC awards scholarships worth Rs 3 cr; Ramdas Kamath slams govt


Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (MD)

Mangalore, Aug 20: World Konkani Centre (WKC) awarded merit-cum-means scholarships worth Rs 3 crore under its Vishwa Konkani Students Scholarship Fund (VKSSF) to students from Konkani communities in a ceremony held at TV Raman Pai Convention Centre, Kodialbail here on Wednesday August 20.

T V Mohandas Pai, chairman of Manipal Global Education, Ivan D'Souza, MLC, Sandeep S Shenoy, M Padmanabha Pai, managing trustee of Shree Venkataramana Temple, Mangalore, Melreeda Rodrigues president of ICYM central council, Mangalore diocese, Dr P Dayananda Pai, chairman of Konkani Language and Culture Foundation, Basti Vaman Shenoy, president of World Konkani Centre, Pradeep G Pai, secretary of VKSSF, Venkatesh N Baliga secretary of WKC, Lenita Menezes, president of VKSSF Alumni Association, Preetham Kamath, Vimala V Pai, K B Kharvi, Annappa S, Ramesh Nayak were the guests present on the dais.

Dignitaries on the dais distributed the scholarships to the students. Altogether, scholariships were awarded to 579 students pursuing engineering, 36 students from MBBS and four students who were going to study abroad.

Addressing the gathering, T V Mohandas Pai in his keynote address, he said, "Five years ago, providing scholarships to the students of Konkani community was a dream, and now the dream has come true. My dream is that by 2030 Konkani community should become better and more than one lac students should get scholarships. Entrepreneurs should be trained to develop technology and for this entrepreneurship development programme has to be introduced.

"In 10 years' time, those who graduate have to become entrepreneurs and everyone should become billionaires. We do not have political strength, but we have the strength of knowledge. We lack leadership in our society. If we want to come up in society, we should make use of technology. Through the latest technology, we can promote and propogate our culture and traditions. We have to keep our language, history and culture alive, or else we will lose our strength," he said.

Further talking about the importance of the Konkani language, Mohandas Pai said, "We are united by languages and we are divided by languages, as there are various types of scripts in Konkani language. People of this generation speak English in their houses, they do not have pride towards our Konkani language. This should not happen."

MLC Ivan D'Souza in his address promised that in the next council meeting to be held in Belgaum, he would speak in Konkani. "As our Konkani language is added in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, no one can question me for speaking in Konkani in the coming council meetings," he added.

U Ramdas Kamath, chairman of VKSSF welcomed the guests, while Smitha Jaideep Shenoy compered the ceremony. Pradeep G Pai proposed the vote of thanks.

 

Ramdas Kamath slams government

Addressing a press meet after the scholarship award ceremony, Infosys executive vice-president and chairman of Vishwa Konkani Student Scholarship Fund Ramdas Kamath slammed the state and the central governments for the pathetic condition of the roads in Mangalore and blamed the governments for the poor growth of IT sector in the city.

"Today the state's IT exports have slipped to 34% from 37% and the state does not seem to be bothered about it. Even though we have transported IT services worth 1,75,000 crore last year the drop in exports is a major setback," he said.

"It is a tragedy that the so-called cent percent literate Mangalore city contributes not even 2% of the state’s total IT exports. The government is not doing anything for the IT Park established at Mudipu. There is scarcity of water. Anyone who has back pain and travels by road to the IT Park will surely get admitted to hospital. Apart from this, even the road connecting Mangalore to Kerala has become deteriorated badly. This region has been totally deprived of the government's attention," he said.

On submitting recommendations to the state government on improving tourism in the state, he said, "The government has already sanctioned Rs 66 crore for the development of beaches in Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, out of which about Rs 20 crore has been released. The state government has also sent proposals to the central government for releasing funds for the development of roads connecting the beaches to the highways.

"Toilets should be constructed next to the beaches. A lot of garbage is thrown around in the beach, this has to stop. There should be an administrative mechanism to maintain our beaches. The zilla panchayat or the gram panchayat concerned or any organization should be given the responsibility to keep the beaches clean,” he added

Principal patron of the Fund T V Mohandas Pai, president of Vishwa Konkani Centre Basti Vaman Shenoy, secretary of Vishwa Konkani Student Scholarship Fund Pradeep G Pai, VKSSF alumni president Lenita Jenifer Menezes, Pallavi Prabhu, Royal Denzil Sequeira were among the present during press meet.

  

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Comment on this article

  • ER, Mangalore

    Thu, Aug 21 2014

    I sincerly request all the meritorious candidates to give a try in civil services exams. We have doctors engineers and CA's but no one in IAS/IPS/IFS etc. Can our konkani's atleast attempt this UPSC eaxma and come as DCs and SPs so that we can develop a goods society and solve all our problems without depending on politicains and rougues. We are fed up of these butler English speaking northies coming to administer and police us. All the best guys God bless you all.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • yogesh, bombay

    Thu, Aug 21 2014

    Being from general merit category i lament the lack of it
    two decades ago when getting seat in prof colleges was difficult. Nowadays "cats & dogs" also getting seats in engg colleges and scholarships. i hope these scholarships have reached the deserving strictly on merit-cum-means basis and not recommendations.

    DisAgree Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • suresh, Mangalore

    Thu, Aug 21 2014

    Well done WKC, congrats.
    Dear, Bhandarkar mam, mitt da list du irena pudar izzi. Tirthu kullinait
    ir yer pandud gottapujji. Daye maltudu onte kai derpuvara.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • vellano1, Mumbai

    Thu, Aug 21 2014

    wonderful effort and message, WKC!! if every community thinks like this, we will be great nation! Konkani is one langauage, probably used by all religions and castes in coastal districts!

    Saraswat Brahmins, Christians, Muslims, Shenvis, Mogaveers, entire konkan region, speaks this langauage and all r proud of it! and specially in Mangalore Udupi region, the stress that they give for education and career/self development is amazing! I wish all the students very best and hope as MDPAI said, lot many entrepreneurs-good citizens come off this and our region becomes prosperous! this will lead to better nation someday!

    DisAgree [1] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • prem, kulshekar

    Wed, Aug 20 2014

    Yes! WKC good job! BUT.... most of them really dont need any scholarships coz they r already well off.. their parents if not both atleast one of 'em will be working at abroad and here they'll be producing fake details therefore I request WKC to conduct a through background check before handing out scholarships.. No offence.. all students study well and I congratulate them all but my only concern is let the money go to the people who are actually in need of it.. WKC ur doing a good job and it ain't easy I understand .. but it'll be cool if u do a better Job in the future.. God Bless all :)

    DisAgree [2] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Observer, mangalore

    Wed, Aug 20 2014

    'This region has been totally deprived of the government's attention'I quote Sri Ramadas Kamath at the press meet. Very truly said Kmathmam. We the people of undivided South Kanara have been exploited ever since re-organisation of States in 1956. But for late Srinivas Mallya we would not have had the Port and the Airodrome. Imputes by the governments whether the Center or the State, in comparison to other parts of the country/state is miserly. Greater part of whatever improvements we have in this region is due mostly to private effort in which the share of Konkani people is considerable. In the face of the step motherly treatment we the people should strive to improve our lot ourselves. Helping and encouraging our younger generation to attain higher level of education for which WKC is contributing is laudable. Enthuse the younger generation not only to attain higher educational levels but also get into government services through competitive exams such as IAS etc through which they can stem the rot the country has landed itself in. Konkani youth is ideally suited for this task. What they require is encouragement and guidance.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ronald D, Udupi

    Wed, Aug 20 2014

    Sid, I am tired of your BJP supporting comments! For a change write something better from your side except for moral policing and religion associated politics issue!!! Are U ready????? First check hide out of Nalin and Shobha and their contribution may be small!!!! Let them take some inspiration from above article....those non elected and not mass reps!!! Yet..desire to give something to the needy!!

    DisAgree [2] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Henry Lewis, Sastan/Kuwait

    Wed, Aug 20 2014

    I am pleased to Know that WKC awarding such a big amount for scholarship I appreciate their generosity towards the needy students we have many social Organizations they too do the social service as much they can afford I also appreciate their kindness It sorry to know in this twenty first century even though we are advanced in all fields still we have People struggling for their livelihood and daily bread we have to look into the rural areas for such needy people and help them so that there may be no hungry child in our surrounding. Once again I praise the and salute the generous step of WKC.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • joe Gonsalves, Mangalore

    Wed, Aug 20 2014

    There is perfect justification for the remarks made by Ramdas Kamath. Roads in Mangalore are in pathetic condition. Again when most of the people speak and write about the condition of roads, they lose sight of the awful condition of foot paths. While trying to help motorists with our observations and supportive remarks let us not ignore the fact that the poor have to walk on footpaths which are in awful condition and in several ares there are no foot paths.

    Serious thought should be given to these areas which need immediate attention.

    Joe Gonsalves

    DisAgree [4] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sundari Ashoknagar, Mangalore

    Wed, Aug 20 2014

    Congrats WKC. Bhandarkarmamu where are you? Eer ullaratthe.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • sid, mangalore

    Wed, Aug 20 2014

    20 crores release for beach development ... very nice . Chiddu and his chelas must have already spent the 20 crores in Thailand beaches

    DisAgree [26] Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • Prem, mangalore

    Wed, Aug 20 2014

    He slammed both state and central govt. He is fair....in this occasion.

    DisAgree [9] Agree [39] Reply Report Abuse


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Title: Mangalore: WKC awards scholarships worth Rs 3 cr; Ramdas Kamath slams govt



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