Media Release
Dubai, Dec 1: Noted Konkani Poet and activist Vally Vagga will be conferred the prestigious 2019 Daiji Dubai Literary Award. This was declared at a recent Daiji Dubai general body meeting held at Dubai.
Valerian D’souza, known as Vally Vagga was born at Vagga in Nirkan Parish, on 27 July 1947. He relocated to Mysuru and later married Libera in 1971. They are blessed with a son Loy, born in 1986.
His first short story was published in Raknno weekly way back in 1964. An MA in Kannada, he never looked back and worked continuously in honing his skills in writing. An active person in Konkani circles, he has written over 150 short stories, over 100 poems and articles. Above 40 short stories are translated and published in popular Kannada magazines. He has presented his short stories in Askashavani Mangalore as well as Mumbai and appeared in Doordarshan’s poetic sessions. Under his own Lourdes publication banner, four books have been published.
Vally Vagga has been awarded and honoured by Karnataka Sahitya Academy and Konkani Kutam Bahrain for contribution to Konkani literature. He will be always admired for his never-say-die approach as a Konkani activist and over 50 years of relentless service in Konkani literature.
Highly prominent Daiji Dubai Literary Puraskar 2019 would be presented and bestowed to Vally Vagga during Daiji-Dubai annual day celebrations in Dubai on April 26, 2019.
He will get the prestigious award of Rs 75,000 along with a citation and certificate of honour. Daiji Dubai is a forum of actively dominant group of Konkani writers based in Dubai providing yeoman service to Konkani language and literature for last 20 years.