Dears,
Almost all the newspapers in Goa have carried the news item on DKA's Dalgado
Puroskar being conferred on Bonaventure D'Pietro in their editions today,
Sunday 11 May, 2008. Even the TOI Goa edition has a report.
This event of DKA, a staunchly Romi Konkani organisation [though not
exclusivist as the Goa D & D Official Language Act, 1987], was graced by the
presence of Datta Damodar Naik, Sahitiya Academy award winning writer, social
activist, baker and builder rolled into one. He is creditied with facilitating
an alliance of forces in 1994 and may well do the same with the Deva nagari and
the [Asura?] Romi camps by being the Neelkant.
The Dalgado Puroskar cash award component of Rs.25,000/- has been sponsorred
by Fr. Conceicao D' Silva last year and this year to mark the Silver Jubilee
year of his ordination and first mass [which he celebrated on 07 May with a
mass in Orlim and a splendid dinner at Kersarval Garden Retreat ..with CM, Home
Minister, Deputy Speaker, Konkani stalwarts, church leaders and a large fan
following that he has built up over the years, specially in Calangute and
Mandur.
The Goa Government has given Rs.15 lakhs to DKA this year, money which it
hopes to spend on research and documentation ...not on bajjas and batata wadas,
as one person/magazine suggests they may be spent. C'est la vie, n'est-ce pas?
[Jivit amchem oxem, nhoi re?]. If anyone has some constructive suggestions to
make, please feel free to write to Konkani Roman Script <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
Mog asundi.
Miguel
DPietro awarded Dalgado Puroskar
HERALD NEWS DESK
PANJIM, MAY 10 Famous Konknni novelist and accomplished saxoph-onist,
Bonaventure Peter Fernandes (or Bonaventure DPietro, as he is popularly known)
was awarded the Dalgado Puroskar, a Lifetime achievement award at a
well-attended function in the Kala Academy.
Past President of the Karnataka Konknni Sahitiya Akademi, Eric Ozario was the
chief guest and conferred the award named by the Dalgado Konkani Akademi in
honour of Monsenhor Sebastiao Rudolfo Dalgado, whose sterling work for the
understanding of Konkani remains unparalleled to this day.
Noted Konknni writer and Sahitya Akademi winner Datta Damodar Naik was the
guest of honour, while Fr Conceicao de Chagas e Silva, an active promoter of
Konknni usage in Goa Archdiocese and beyond was the special invitee. The award
function was held in collaboration with Kala Academy at Kala Aca-demys Black
Box.
While congratulating the Dalgado Puroskar 2008 winner DPietro, Eric said,
There are two groups of people who work for Konknni. One group works for
Konknni out of convenience. Ozario also congratulated Dalgado Konknni Akademi
for choosing the right person for its prestigious award.
Welcoming the gathering, DKA President Premanand Lotlikar praised Bonaventure
DPietro for enriching the Konknni language through literature by sacrificing
even his livelihood.
The awardee was intro-duced by Floriano Fernandes, executive member of DKA.
Fr Conceicao D Silva expressed his satisfaction that the Goa Government is at
last waking up to the reality and acknowledging that Konknni is alive in Roman
script. 1 have realised one thing, he said, unless one makes noise, one is
not heard by the Government.
On the occasion, noted tiatrist Prince Jacobs drama Roddonaka was released at
the hands of Fr Conceicao DSilva.
At the end of the function DKA secretary Jose Salvador Fernandes proposed the
vote of thanks, while Daniel F de Sousa compered the function.
Miguel Braganza <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: D'Pietro awarded Dalgado Puroskar
2008 by DKA
Famous Konkani novelist and accomplished saxaphonist, Bonaventure Peter
Fernandes (or Bonaventure D'Pietro, as he is popularly known) was awarded the
Dalgado Puroskar, a Life-time achievement award at a well attended function in
the Kala Academy yesterday. The "Gurkar" of Mandd Sobann and immediate past
President of the Karnataka Konkani Sahitiya Akademi, Eric Ozario was the Chief
Guest and conferred the award named by the Dalgado Konkani Akademi in honour of
Monsenhor Sebastiao Rodolfo Dalgado, whose sterling work for the understanding
of Konkani remains unparalleled to this day. Noted writer and entrepreneur,
Datta Damodar Naik and an active promoter of Konkani usage in Goa Archdiocese
and beyond, Fr. Conceicao de Chagas e Silva, were the Guests of Honour.
Welcoming the gathering, DKA President Premanand A. Lotlikar praised Mr.
Bonaventure D'Pietro for enriching the Konkani language through literature by
sacrificing even his livelihood. "Like famous Hindi novelist Premchand ,who
rose to great height from poverty, D'Pietro also underwent lot of hardships in
life to enrich his mother tongue. Today he can be called as 'Premchand' of
Konkani", said Lotlikar.
The awardee was introduced by Thomas Fernandes, Treasurer of DKA, who
reminded the audience that Bonaventure D'Pietro has the unique distinction of
having his award-winning novel "Tichea Morna Uprant" [After her Death] as
recommended reference for M.A. in the Goa University and also having it read in
Karnataka through its transliteration done by Dr. Pratap Naik sj and published
by Mandd Sobann last month. Bonaventure has come a long way from the days he
sat on a rusty trunk in Bombay and penned his first novel in 1972. He has
foregone his salary and even worked overtime at the printing press to pay the
costs for publishing his earlier books. the money he received as awards, often
went to pay the printers, too. Costing, pricing and marketing have never been
Bonaventure's forte. He wrote for the love of his mother tongue, Konkani.
Bonaventure has played music at the Goa Raj Bhavan, Udaipur Palace and at many
other prestigious venues and events.
While congratulating the Dalgado Puroskar 2008 winner Mr. D'Pietro, Mr. Eric
said, "There are two groups of people who work for Konkani. One group works for
Konkani out of convenience. The other group goes out of their way and makes
a lot of sacrifices for the sake of the language it loves, Konknni. People who
are devoted to Konkani in the Roman script belong to this second group. This
has been my personal experience." Mr.Ozario also congratulated Dalgado Konknni
Akademi for choosing the right person for its prestigious award.
Speaking further, Mr. Ozario said, "There is a need for an amendment in the
Official Language Act in Goa that excludes a large section of the Konakni
reading people. The Roman script should also get equal status in the language
bill. There is a pressing need for the injustice to be rectified. Dalgado
Konknni Akademi should seriously think about this issue."
"The central Sahitiya Akademi has been the victim of brahminism. That is why
the Akademi does injustice to writers and authors who use Roman or Kannada
script for Konkani. Whenever Sahitya Akademi gives award to Konknni in
Devanagri script, there is a need to give parallel awards on the same day and
of the same value to Konkani books in Roman and Kannada script. This may need
the filing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court. The is
a need for the injustice to be rectified. Dalgado Konknni Akademi should
seriously think on this issue"
While being firm on the use of Kannada script by those familiar with it ,
specially in his native Karnataka, Mr. Ozario acknowledged the advantage of
Roman script in the Cyberage saying, "Today in the Internet age, Roman has a
bright future and is very much acceptable. Konkani has survived all these years
because of Romian script." and warned, " If the use of Roman script is
destroyed then Konknni language will die with it."
Summing up his thoughts Mr. Ozario said, "There is a need to respect and
recognize all the scripts and dialects of Konkani language. So the policy of
"one script, one language and one society" that has been developed by All
India Konkani Parishad, Konknni Bhasha Mandals of all the four states and other
Konkani organisations, is detrimental for Konknni language. Through this policy
they have destroyed the diversity of Konkani people. As in the Indian nation,
there can be Unity only by recognising the Diversity."
Earlier, Datta. D. Naik, spoke of the languages and dialects as a "fruit
salad" each fruit adding to the flavour of the final product. He also drew a
virtual picture of the Islamic tradition of eating together from one plate at
festivals. "There is no chance of poisoning the food when one also eats from
it." he said. He reminded the audience that Konkani was a living language. "We
do not even divide fish when it is alive." The fisherwomen make "vantte" or
shares only of fish when it is dead. Fr. Conceicao expressed his satisfaction
that the Goa Government is at last waking up to the reality and acknowledging
that Konkain is alive in Roman script. "I have realised one thing," he said,
"unless one makes noise, one is not heard by the Government." Salvador
Fernandes proposed the vote of thanks while Daniel F.D'Souza compered.
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