Media Release
Karwar, Feb 21: The annual awards function of the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy was held recently at Sri Ranganatha auditorium in Dandeli. The event was held as part of the main silver jubilee celebration of the Dandakaranya Konkani Manyatotsava.
The proud recipients of the honorary awards for the year 2017 were Herolpius (Gratian Pius D'Silva), Om Ganesh Navunda, Madeva Budo Velipa.
Book awards for 2017 were conferred on Valley Quadras and Vishwanath Shet.
Gracian Rodrigues, a well-known businessman basically from Dakshina Kannada, who runs various businesses in Mysuru from the past 30 years, was honoured as the best businessman from the Konkani community.
R V Deshpande, district-in-charge minister of Uttar Kannada district and R P Naik, chairman of the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy presided over the occasion.
Honorary Awards
Gratian Pius D'Silva is a native of Kudupu in the city of Mangaluru. He wrote stories under his pen name 'Herolpius' right from his teenage years. He published his first novel 'Don Thembe Dukhan' at the tender age of 18. 'Ragat Ani Udak', 'Ek Aduren Pinthur', 'Majya Sapnachi Rani', 'Sister Shobha' are the other novels that are penned by the author. Till date, he has written 245 short stories and satirical pieces in Konkani and Kannada languages.
Gratian Pius D'Silva (Herolpius)
Madeva Budo Velipa, a veteran belonging to the Kunabi community, Joida, is basically a renowned folk artiste, who is accomplished in 'Suggi Pada', 'Songo', 'Tulasi Habbada Hadu', 'Kunabi Ramayana', 'Kunabi Mahabharata', 'Songs of Vithoba of Pandharapur', 'Naumi Hadu' etc. He is known as the folk songs' treasury. He has made the folk arts of the Kunabi community popular by carrying out performances on multiple platforms including the state-level 'Gadi Utsava' in Castle Rock, 'Karavali Utsava', 'Sahayana Utsava', 'Kavyabodhi' and 'Dandeli Utsava'. He is also the recipient of the state-level award 'Janapada Loka' given by he Karnataka Janapada Parishat.
Om Ganesh is a multi-faceted personality with a rural background. 'Ranga Taranga'was founded by him in order to promote Konkani theatre. Numerous theatre festivals are organized by this group. In addition, he is also a columnist, resource person, magician, actor and songwriter. He was a member of the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy in 2015. He has carried out more than 3,000 theatre performances in around 45 countries in the past 45 years.
Book Awards
Valley Quadras was bestowed upon the book award for his collection of short stories 'Bandh'. This is his fifth collection in Konkani. Valley holds an MBA degree and is actively involved in Konkani literature for the past thirty years. He is the editor of some of the Konkani web journals. He has received various awards like the 'Divo Sahitik Puraskar' and the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy Special Book Award (2005) for Kavithapaatt (Poetry Analysis), Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy Book Award (2006) for Darbharantli Pinrgonn (Anthology of Poems) and Mathias Family Kavita Trust Award 2017.
Valley Quadras
Vishwanath Shet was conferred upon the book award for his work 'Sri Ramacharita'. This is the first epic in Konkani, written in Bhamini Shatpadi style. His talent is not limited only to writing in Konkani and Kannada. Apart from being an author, he is also a sculptor, Yakshagana and Talamaddale and a make-up artiste. Karnataka Janapada Academy has conferred the award on him in recognition of his contribution in the various form of arts.
Dr Vasanta Bandekar, Arun Abhayankar and Koodlu Ananda Shanubhogue received the 'Konkani Kirita' award during the valedictory ceremony of the 'Konkani Manyata - 25' on February 12. Twenty-five accomplished achievers from different fields were awarded 'The Konkani Manyata Silver Jubilee Puraskar' for their contribution in the respective fields.