Press Release
Goa, Jan 3: Prakash Damodar Padgaonkar, eminent Konkani poet will preside over the 22nd All India Konkani Sahitya Sammelan. He was unanimously elected as the President of the Conference at the recent joint meeting of the Parishad’s General Council and the reception committee formed for the meet. The Sammelan is being organised at Kozhikode, Kerala from 13 to 15 February of 2015.
Prakash Padgaonkar (66), a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) has made signifant contribution to Konkani Poetry during the past four decades. He has 8 collection of poems to his credit, viz, Uzvaddachim Pavlam’ (1976), ‘Vascoyan’ (1977), ‘Havn Monis Ashwatthamo’(1985), ‘Kavita: Kaal- relvecho, mon harshancho, pavsa-panyancho’(1993), ‘Sorg ghodpak dhortorencho’(1994),‘Vhaunti nhai kallachi’(2003),‘Brahmand- yogi chirantanacho’(2008) and ‘Punararthopnishad (2014).
The poetry of Prakash Padgaonkar, notable for their themes as well as distinct style have won wide acclaim and was the subject of Dr. Chandralekha D’Souza’s research at the Goa University for her doctoral Degree.
He has twice won the awards of Kala Akademy, Goa (‘Vascoyan’ and ‘Havn Monis Ashwatthamo’) and Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Goa (‘Uzvaddachim Pavlam’ and ‘Vascoyan’). He bagged the Sahitya Akademi, Delhi Award for ‘Havn Monis Ashwatthamo’ (1986) and the Best Book Award (2005) of the Dr. T.M.A. Pai Foundation, Manipal, for ‘Vhaunti Nhai Kallachi’
In 2007 the Government of Goa presented State Reward ‘Rajya Sanman’ on him for Cultural Excellence for Achievement and Contribution in the field of literature at National level. He also fetched the State Cultural Award for Cultural Excellence in the Field of Literature for the year 2009-10
Padgaonkar has participated in Symposium of Poets in four days International Seminar at New- Dellhi in Feburay, 1989, organised by Sahitya Akademy, New Dellhi to mark the Birth Centenary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and in Multi-Lingual National Symposium of Poets of 1996, organised by All India Radio at New Dellhi. During the year 200e, he took part in the South Indian Poets Meet organised by Thunchan Memorial Trust, Tirur, the Premier Literary and Cultural Centre of Kerala and the gathering of poets from Western and North-Eastern parts of India at Shillong ,Meghalaya organised by Sahitya Akademy.
A past President of the Konkani Lekhak Sangh Goa and former member of the Advisory Committee of All India Radio, Panaji- Goa, Mr. Padgaonkar also headed the Reception Committee of 16th All India Konkani Literary Conference held in Goa in May, 2003.