Pics by Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Mar 21: “Literature written in mother tongue can go deeper in to your heart and can touch you with greater intensity than the one written in any other language, no matter how proficient you are in that language.” said, Pundalik Narayan Naik, Convener, Konkani Advisory Committee, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi and wellknown playwright, author and Goa liberation movement leader in his key note lecture after inaugurating a workshop on Konkani literature appreciation held at Canara First Grade College, Mangalore on Saturday, March 19, 2011 in the auspice of Konkani Bhasha Vidyarthi Mandal, a co-curricular activity association of the college.
“The workshop is an initiative of World Konkani Centre, Mangalore to promote Konkani literature among youth. Similar workshops will be organized in the next academic year in 20 centers in Karnataka and Kerala to bring 1000 Konkani youth under the exposure of Konkani literature” said Basti Vaman Shenoy, Chief guest of the inaugural ceremony and president of World Konkani Centre, Mangalore.
Principal of the College and a well known Sanskrit Scholar, Dr G N Bhat spoke in Konkani to the pleasure and pride of the students, encouraging them to indulge in literature. He said literature is the essence of culture. In this era of globalization literature and language can preserve cultural ethos in the society.
Student Welfare Officer of the college, Prof B Satish Bhat stressed on the need of feeling proud about the mother tongue.
In his presidential remarks, M Vaman Kamat, Correspondent of the college, expressed happiness over the activities of the Konkani Vidyarthi Mandal and said such workshops on literature will inspire students to explore the unknown facets of the mothertongue Konkani.
Lecturer and Convener of the Konkani Bhasha Vidyarthi Mandal Seema Prabhu S welcomed the guests and the gathering. Student secretary of the KBVM. Venkatesh Nayak compered the programme.
Later, delivering the post lunch session of the workshop Dr K Mohan Pai impressed upon the students about the difference between written form of the language vis-à-vis dialects. Citing an example of Kannada language, he explained how a written form of a language can bind together all dialects of that language and stressed on the importance of taking pride in every form of the mother tongue.
Third session was delivered by famous Konkani poet Melvyn Rodrigues who engaged into a dialogue with the students indulging them interactively by narrating a few pieces of Konkani poetry.
Workshop was attended by around 85 Konkani speaking students of Canara First Grade College, Mangalore.