Mandd Sobhann Announces New Executive Committee as it Nears 40th Anniversary
Mangaluru: Mandd Sobhann, the globally recognized Konkani cultural organization, has established its new governing body as it approaches its 40th year in November. The members of the Committee were selected at the recent Annual General Meeting, where they subsequently appointed the office bearers for the term of 2025-26.
Louis J. Pinto, a prominent Mangaluru-based businessman and cultural leader known for organizing numerous large-scale events, will continue his service as President. The position of Secretary will be held by poet Ronald Crasta, while singer Sunil Monteiro will assume the responsibilities of Treasurer.
The remaining office bearers are as follows: Stany Alvares as Coordinator, Naveen Lobo as Vice President, Kishore Fernandes as Joint Secretary, Victor Mathias as Public Relations Officer, Arun Raj Rodrigues overseeing Drama, Rahul Pinto managing Nach Sobhann, and Raina Sequeira in charge of Sumell. The appointed members include Keron Madtha, Alron Rodrigues, Irene Rebello, Rony Arun, Ajay D’Souza, Kingsley Nazareth, Lawrence D’Souza, and Subhash Gowda.
Regional representation will be provided by the following individuals: Steven Rodriguȩs for Honnavar, Jeevan Siddi for Uttara Kannada, Fr. Milton Rodrigues and Saish Panandikar for Goa, Leo Fernandes for Mumbai, Dayan D’Souza for Dubai, Sunil D’Silva for Qatar, Wilson D’Souza for Australia, Sunil D’Cunha for London, and Harriet Vidyasagar for the USA. Roy Castelino (Kalaangann Pirjent) and Ronald Mendonca (Chairman, Kalaangann Administrative Board) will serve as ex officio members.
The newly formed Mandd Sobhann committee is committed to realizing the vision of its Gurkar, Eric Ozario, which aims to elevate Konkani pride to a global scale. Future initiatives include digitizing Konkani books into eBooks to expand the eLibrary through the creation of “eBongsall,” a centralized portal for Konkani literature. The organization also plans to launch KonkaniShow.com to promote performing arts, along with organizing events such as a children’s literary festival. Furthermore, existing programs like Monthly Theatres, Sumell, Nach Sobhann, Mandd Theatre, Sur Sobhann, and Summer Camps will continue.
In a tribute to the legacy of Eric Ozario, Mandd Sobhann is organizing a global gathering of Konkani people to celebrate the unity and diversity of the Konkani community. The event aims to set a Guinness World Record with a 12-day, 12-hour, and 12-minute celebration.