Navhind Times

Panaji, May 12: The central Sahitya Akademi has been the victim of brahminism. That is why the Akademi does injustice to writers and authors who use Roman or Kannada script for Konkani. Whenever Sahitya Akademi gives award to Konknni in Devanagri script, there is a need to give parallel awards on the same day and of the same value to Konkani books in Roman and Kannada script. Dalgado Konknni Akademi (DKA) should seriously think on this issue, said Mr Eric Ozario from Mangalore, who was instrumental in taking Konknni in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Mr Eric Ozario, Gurkar of Mandd Sobann and immediate past President of the Karnataka Konknni Sahitiya Akademi, who was the Chief Guest was speaking on the ocassion of conferring the award named by the Dalgado Konkani Akademi in honour of Monsenhor Sebastiao Rudolfo Dalgado. Famous Konknni novelist and accomplished saxophonist, Bonaventure Peter Fernandes (or Bonaventure D'Pietro) was awarded the Dalgado Puroskar, a Life-time achievement award, at Kala Academy's Black Box.

Noted Konknni writer and Sahitya Akademi winner Mr Datta Damodar Naik was the guest of honour, while Fr Conceicao de Chagas e Silva, an active promoter of Konknni usage in Goa Archdiocese and beyond was a special invitee.

On the occasion, noted tiatrist Prince Jacob's drama Roddonaka was released at the hands of Fr Conceicao D'Silva. Daniel F de Sousa compered the function while DKA secretary Mr Jose Salvador Fernandes proposed the vote of thanks.