Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai
Dubai, Jan 19: The first edition of Daiji Rang Mandir MickMax Memorial Best Konkani Drama Award has been announced in a media release. Eddie Sequeira’s ‘Gulf Sargaar Ek Sukraar’ bags the coveted award with prize of Rs 50,000, citation and certificate of honour.
It was a tough selection among several noteworthy stage plays from seasoned and established writers. The panel of judges consisted of accomplished stage personas like Dolphy Cassia, Arun Raj and John M Permannur.
MickMax is a name still remembered for the passion he had in Konkani literature, drama, poetry, music and for his acting skills. The late MickMax's well-wisher Dubai-based Nelson Rodricks and Family will be sponsoring the award on an annual basis.
Daiji Rang Mandir is an extended branch of Daiji Dubai. Daiji Rang Mandir based in Dubai has given enormous contribution in promoting Konkani drama, art and culture.
Edward Sequeira, better known as ‘Eddie Siker’ to Konkani lovers, was born on August 28, 1951 in Bejai, Mangaluru. After doing his initial schooling from the St Aloysius institutions where he completed his 10th standard, Eddie studied fine arts under renowned artist B G Mohammed. Thereafter he worked as an artist, textile designer, and graphic artist in Mumbai, Mangaluru. During this period, he participated in several art exhibitions and displayed his creations and won accolades from art lovers for his unique art. When life led him to Doha-Qatar in search of greener pastures, he did not cut off his relationship with art and culture. After working for 20 years as a senior artist in Gulf Times newspaper, Eddie relocated to Mangaluru in 2013 and is presently residing in Mangaluru and working as freelance art consultant.
Eddie stepped on to the Konkani stage at the young age of 15 as a backstage helper and then grew as actor, director and writer owing to sheer talent and hard work. He has acted in more than 100 plays and directed dozens of Konkani plays. He earned the nickname ‘Artistic Director’ for directing most of ChaFra D’Costa’s famous plays in which he blended acting, music, lights and placements perfectly, to the great appreciation of the audience and Konkani buffs. It was Eddie’s love for Konkani stage which inspired him to float his own banner ‘Rang-Tarang’ in1982 to promote and preserve Konkani plays professionally. Under ‘Rang-Tarang’ banner Eddie directed and presented several plays across Mangaluru and established himself as ace actor and director.
Eddie is a multifaceted personality and has contributed to Konkani in various ways using his God-given talents. Apart from art and stage plays, Eddie’s contribution to Konkani literature too is well documented. He started penning poetry in 1976 and has continued contributing to various Konkani magazines, Akashavani and in Kavi Sammelanas on regular basis till date. He has written four one-act plays of which two are co-written with ChaFra. One of his full-length plays ‘Parath Eik Pavtim’ (Once More) bagged Best Director, Best Play and Best Actor to Eddie and Best Actor awards to two other characters of the same play in the All India Drama Competition organized by Udayavani and Rangabhoomi Udupi in 1989. The same play was published in print format in 1999 and bagged the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy award in 1991.
Eddie is also a well-known compere, recognized for his unique brand of compering in Konkani. Combining his skills of pleasing voice, poetic introductions interspersed with jokes; he started compering 'Wilfy Nite' musical shows in 1976 and continuously performed in more than hundred shows in India and most of the Gulf countries till 1990. After the death of his friend and mentor Wilfy Rebimbus, Eddie introduced and organized ‘Wilfy Rebimbus Day’ in Doha and later after Eddie shifted to Mangaluru, the same was introduced even in Mangaluru earning a lot of appreciation and accolades from one and all.