Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Dec 3: Kavita Trust which works for the promotion of Konkani poetry has announced the results of its Charles and Theresa Rodrigues Memorial 11th All-India Konkani poetry writing competition.

Sanika R Pawar, 8th class student of Sarvodaya Educational Society high school, Curchorem, Goa has won the first prize for her poem 'Panzryantlem Shevnnem' ('Caged Bird'). Second prize has been bagged by Devita Ishwar Khule, a 10th class student of Shree Mallikarjun Vidyalaya high school, Kankon for her poem 'Bharatiy Sainik' ('Indian Soldier'). Third prize has been shared by Palia Agni, 6th class student of Ravindra Kelekar Dhyanmandir, Margao for her poem 'Pavs' ('The Rain') and Anisha Arun Naik, 10th class student of Mai De Deus high school, Aldona for her poem 'Hanv Zadd - Mhaka Samzat'. ('I am the Plant - Understand Me').

Sanika Pawar and Devita Khule

Palia Agni and Anisha Naik

Altogether 174 students from various states participated in this competition this year. President of Kavita Trust and poet Melvyn Rodrigues who judged the poems said that the age of the children, the language they used according to their age, their innocence, the themes and the way they narrated these themes in poetic form were considered while selecting the winning entries.

First prize winning poem by Sanika speaks about the children playing in the courtyard without wings and the bird who could not fly though it has wings, as it is caged. It also tells about the child's inability to free the bird as the child could not reach the cage. Devita's poem on Indian solider narrates in simple but beautiful way, the sacrifices the soldiers have to make, which are not important in front of the nation. Palia's poem is so innocent, it questions the rain which showers when its time to go to school and in Anisha's poem the plant in its personified form requests the humans to save it from being chopped.

All the winners will get cash prizes, mementos as well as certificates and get a chance to attend Kavita Fest in Mangaluru along with their parents. All the participants will be given certificates. Renowned Kannada novelist and writer K T Gatti will distribute the prizes on the occasion of the 12th edition of Kavita Fest, which will be held on January 14, 2018 at Bodhi Tree - the Farm House, near Jeppu, Mangaluru.

So far 2,080 students have participated in Kavita Trust's poetry writing competition for the past 11 years.