Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy Bestows Annual Honours and Book Awards
Udupi: The Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy hosted its 2025 Annual Honour Awards and Book Awards ceremony in a grand celebration held at St Francis Xavier Church, Udyavar. The event served as a platform to recognize and celebrate significant contributions to Konkani literature, art, and folklore.
The programme commenced with an inaugural address by Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Udupi, Most Rev. Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo. He lauded the Konkani Sahitya Academy’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the Konkani language amidst the growing influence of global languages. Dr. Lobo emphasized the academy’s crucial role in preserving the language and acknowledging the contributions of Konkani poets and writers. He cautioned against allowing Konkani to become a relic of the past and urged parents to encourage their children to embrace the language with pride. Furthermore, he advocated for promoting Konkani literature through social media platforms. “While other languages are essential for growth at the global level, Konkani is a question of our identity,” he stated.
Joachim Stany Alvares, president of the Academy, presided over the function and extended a warm welcome to the attendees. He highlighted the challenge posed by the younger generation’s increasing detachment from Konkani, emphasizing the urgent need to instill pride in the language among youth and students. He called upon all Konkanis to actively contribute to the language’s growth and development.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of the 2025 Honour Awards. Ron Roche Cassia was recognized for his contributions to Konkani Literature, Ramdas Dattatreya Gulwadi for Konkani Art, and Sairu Muralidhar Puttu Naik for Konkani Folklore.
The Academy also presented the 2025 Book Awards to acknowledge outstanding literary works. Andrew L. D’Cunha received the award in the Poetry category, Roshan Melki Sequeira in the Essay category, and Richard Alvares in the Short Story category.
The ceremony was graced by several dignitaries, including Kaup MLA Suresh Shetty Gurme, Rev. Fr. Charles Menezes (parish priest of Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Udupi), Rev. Fr. Anil D’Souza (Udyavar parish priest), and Dr Professor Mohammed Rafiq (director of Beach Healing Home, Hoode).
The event also showcased the rich cultural heritage of the Konkani community through vibrant folk dances performed by the Siddi, Kudubi, and Kharvi communities. The Sunshine Brass Band provided musical entertainment, followed by a Konkani musical evening featuring renowned artists from the dioceses of Udupi and Mangaluru.
