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Daijiworld Media Network - Ponda
Ponda, Aug 29: Jnanpith Award winner and noted Konkani litterateur, Ravindra Kelekar’s mortal remains were consigned to flames with the state’s guard of honour at his Nagar-Priol, (Ponda taluka) residential courtyard on Saturday, August 28, afternoon.
He was 85 years old and breathed his last on Friday morning after a prolonged illness resulting from age-related complications.
Priest, Achut Bhatt Tottekar conducted the prayer service and the funeral pyre was lit by his only son, Girish Kelekar in the presence of relatives, friends, writers, politicians, businessmen and a large number of villagers.
Fr Alfred Almeida also offered final prayers to the departed soul.
The state government was represented by the Governor Dr S S Sidhu’s representative. The Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat paid floral tributes to late Ravindra Kelekar. Ministers Churchill Alemao, Joaquim Alemao, Alex Sequeira, Jose Philip D’Souza, leader of opposition, Manohar Parrikar, local MLA, Pandurang Dhavalikar, MLAs Damodar Naik, Laxmikant Parsekar, Chandrakant Kavlekar, Subhash Shirodkar, ex-MLAs, freedom fighters, Registrar and Vice-Chancellor of Goa University, social activists, historians, scientists and senior and noted Konkani and Marathi writers also paid tributes to the departed soul.
The village of Priol was in grief since Friday when the body of the noted Konkani litterateur was brought to his ancestral house here.