Mangaluru (TOI): Well-known Konkani lyricist, poet and writer Wilson Roshan Sequeira, who writes under the pen name Wilson Kateel, was awarded the Leo Rodrigues Family Kittall Yuva Puraskar 2016 in a ceremony held on August 20. Abu Dhabi based NRI entrepreneur and philanthropist Leo Rodrigues has instituted this award and the award carries a purse of Rs 25,000 and a citation.
Presenting the Award Leo Rodrigues said: During our days there was very little recognition and support to the Konkani writers and artists. When I was young I wrote a story and due to lack of support I almost gave up writing. Today Konkani writers and a-rtists not only get recognition but also good support from the state as well as associations and individuals." Chairman, Jury Titus Noronha introduced Wilson Kateel to the gathering. Advisory Board Member Daya Victor Lobo read the Citation. Laveena Rodrigues and MLC and Chief Whip in Karnataka Legislative Council Ivan D'Souza were present on the occasion.
In his presidential address advisory board member and CMD of Rohan Corporation said " I cannot contribute anything to Konkani language in terms of literature, but I can support them, which I am doing. There are very few organizations like Kittall which honor the deserving and provide the platform for their writings."
In the second part of the programme, professor and head of the Department of Urology, Kasturba Medical College, Dr G G Lakshman Prabhu delivered a lecture on the subject 'Konkani Movement - My experience - My Vision.' "We write Konkani in various scripts and speak in different dialects. Hence there is a confusion to understand each other when the Konkani speaking people from different communities speak. Hence to solve this we need to standardize the language and its literature." Said Lakshman Prabhu.
