Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (FR)

Udupi, Sep 11: Scholarships worth over Rs 13 lacs were distributed to about 230 Kudubi youth, a Konkani speaking tribal community of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi studying PUC and degree courses, at a function held recently at Amrakallu-Hiliyana in Udupi district.

This programme is part of the Vision TVM-2030 envisaged by philanthropist T V Mohandas Pai to strengthen each of the Konkani speaking community undertaken by World Konkani Centre (WKC).

Scholarship cheques were distributed to the students by Ramdas Kamath U, president of Vishwa Konkani Student Scholarship Fund (VKSSF) in the presence of guest of honour S Manjappa, president of Karnataka State Kudubi Samaja Abhivradhi Mahamandala. President of WKC Basti Vaman Shenoy presided over the function.

On this occasion a socio-economic survey report of Kudubis done by Dr Ravindranath Rao, Prof and Head of the department of Sociology at St Mary’s Syrian College, Brahmawar and a report on descriptive study on Kudubi dialect done by Dr Varija N, conducted under the aegis of World Konkani Centre were presented to Ramdas Kamath and Basti Vaman Shenoy respectively. These reports will serve as the basis for WKC to gauge the condition of the Kudubi community and the areas it needs to concentrate to ensure their progress so as to bring them into the mainstream.

Speaking on the occasion Ramdas Kamath promised that steps will be taken to implement the recommendations made by Dr Ravindranath Rao within a year. He requested WKC to submit an action taken report within two months on the recommendations made in the report. He asked the Kudubi people to study the report and give suggestions so that their suggestions can be considered while implementing the recommendations.

For the scholarship students he advised to nurture a burning desire to improve the living conditions of their family and also that of the entire community in general. Ramdas Kamath also promised that a programme will be chalked out from next year to prepare youngsters of the community to face the competitive world in its efforts to ensure the progress of the community. For the parents of the students he said “you have to oath that you would allow your children to complete their college education”.

Kamath also emphasized the importance of literacy of the seniors of the community. "It is easy for fraudsters to fool illiterate people and therefore there is an urgent need to make the people literate. It is also unfortunate that this community has not been receiving any of the benefits of the government schemes be it old age pension, widow pension, schemes for the welfare of girl child, educational facilities etc., which would have helped the community in a big way," he said. He further said that letters will be written to MLA’s, MP and to the district magistrate by enclosing the reports of both these surveys on the issues highlighted in the reports.

He pointed out that language can be a unifying force and asked the Kudubi community to use Konkani language at their homes and in their conversations so that their unique culture and heritage is retained and language will be the binding force of the entire community.

S Manjappa lamented that successive state governments have used the community as vote bank but did nothing to improve the living conditions. He also pointed out that along with education the community should retain its customs, traditions, and rituals that give the community its unique identity.
president of WKC Basti Vaman Shenoy stated that the process of documentation will continue to ensure the overall progress of the Kudubi community. "But we need to work hand in hand and with a focused mind to achieve the desired results," he said.

Secretary of WKC Pradeep G Pai announced that the centre will undertake 9 programmes in the remaining four months for the community youth as part of the capacity building programme initiated by WKC. He also assured that recommendations of the report will be implemented on a war footing. As part of this process of capacity building among Kudubi youth Lenita Menezes, president of VKSS Alumni association announced mentoring programme for Kudubi youth by VKSSF alumni students.

Gurudatt Bantwalkar, assistant director of World Institute of Konkani Language gave an overview of the various projects initiated by WKC for the betterment of the Kudubi community since 2011. President of Karnataka State Kudubi Samaja Sanght M Rama Gowda also spoke on the occasion.

Dr Y Ravindranath Rao and Dr Varija J who submitted the reports of their study were felicitated on the occasion. Karnataka State Kudubi Samaja Sangha felicitated Konkani Sardar Basti Vaman Shenoy.

Solar torches were distributed to about 50 people during this event. Bella Naik proposed the vote of thanks.

World Konkani Centre has been actively involved in engaging the Kudubi community for their social-economic, educational and cultural aspects since 2011. The scholarship and survey reports are the outcome of the Community Development Workshop held in 2012 for the Kudubi community people following which WKC came out with a roadmap on the actions to be taken for the progress of the community.