Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Shri. Prabhakar Tendulkar Felicitated


Shri. Prabhakar Tendulkar Felicitated

Shri. Prabhakar Tendulkar, a veteran Konkani activists and a fighter of Goa's unique identity was felicitated at the hands of Dr. Wilfred D'Souza, former Chief Minister of Goa on his 75th birthday today, the 4th June, 2009 at the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industries Hall, near Azad Maidan, Panjim. Padmashree Suresh G. Amonkar, educationist and a writer was the Guest of Honour. The felicitation function was organized by Dalgado Konknni Akademi, Goa in collaboration with Omor Prakaxon, Candolim.






Dr. Wilfred D'Souza described Shri. Tendulkar as a true Goan who fought for Goa, Konkani language and Goan Identity selflessly.
Padmashree Amonkar requested the modern generation to follow the example of simplicity and dedication in the life of Shri. Tendulkar.
Shri. Premanand Lotlikar, President of Dalgado Konknni Akademy said that Tendulkar's contribution to Konkani language particularly in Roman script has no parallel.



Tomazinho Cardozo, the Managing Trustee of Omor Prakaxon describing him as a youth of 75 years highlighted Tendulkar's contribution to all agitations that were held to save Goa, Konkani language and Goan Identity in the past. A shawl, a Citation, a traditional lamp and a cheque of Rs. 25,000/- was presented to Shri.
Tendulkar on the occasion.


Shri. Jose Salvador Fernandes, Secretary of DKA welcomed the gathering while Shri.
Thomas Fernandes, Treasurer of DKA compered.


Tomazinho Cardozo


Details of the photos are:

1. Dignitaries on the dais - Premanand Lotlikar, Dr. Wilfred D'Souza,
Prabhakar Tendulkar, Padmashree Suresh Amonkar and Tomazinho Cardozo
2. Release of Prabhakar Tendulkar's book - "Kotha Ghons"
3. Release of May-June issue of 'Goykar'
4. Release of the booklet - 'Nanvoste Goykar'
5. Dr. Wilfred D'Souza presenting a shawl and flowers to Shri. Tendulkar
6. Shri. Amonkar presenting the Citation to Shri. Tendulkar.
7. Dr. Wilfred D'Souza offering the traditional lamp to Shri. Tendulkar
8. Shri. Tendukar with Tomazinho Cardozo and Shri. Premanand Lotlikar
9. Shri. Tendulkar with the Executive members of Dalgado Konknni Akademy


10/6/2009


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Felicitation ceremony of Konkani writer Prabhakar Tendulkar

Padmashree Suresh Amonkar has urged the Goan youth to understand and glorify their own mother tongue Konkani rather than running after foreign languages. “If you respect and understand your own mother tongue then believe me you are master of all other languages,” expalined Amonkar.

Amonkar was talking at the felicitation ceremony of Konkani writer Prabhakar Tendulkar who was also the founder of ‘Gõykar’ a former Konkani weekly in Roman script now a bi-monthly magazine.

The felicitation function was organised on the occasion of Tendulkar’s 75th birthday by Dalgado Konknni Akademi (DKA) and Omor Prokaxon, Candolim a publishing house under which the ‘Gõykar’ is published as a bi-monthly magazine. Former Chief Minister of Goa Dr Wilfred de Souza was the chief guest and Padmashree Suresh Amonkar was the guest of honour.

While congratulating Tendulkar on his birthday, Amonkar said only a mother tongue gives every individual its identity of what you are.
The chief guest of the function Dr Wilfred de Souza said, today lot of people take credit for themselves for attaining Goa the twin demands of Statehood and Konkani as Official language. But the real people who fought the struggle to attain these demands are silent and one of them is Prabhakar Tendulkar. Dr. Souza lauded the efforts of Tendulkar on the occasion to get Goa the Statehood and official recognition for Konkani language through his ‘Gõykar’ weekly from 1979. He also briefed how Goa got its Statehood after Konkani was declared the official language and assured the gathering that Roman Script will get a place in the official language Bill because it is the demand of the goans.

DKA President Premanand A. Lotlikar congratulated and praised Tendulkar for honestly working for the cause of Konkani in Roman script. Theatre personality Srirang Narvekar showered praises on Tendulkar for working hard to develop Konkani in Roman script.

Earlier, DKA presented to Tendulkar a traditional lamp, shawl, flower
boquet and a citation at the hands of Dr. Wilfred de Souza. Omor
Prokaxon presented a cheque of 25,000/- rupees to Tendulkar.
Mr. Jose Salvador Fernandes, secretary of DKA welcomed the gathering and Omor Prokaxon publisher Tomazinho Cardozo proposed the vote of thanks. Walter Menezes read out the citation and DKA treasurer Thomas Fernandes compered the function.


PHOTO CAPTION:
Former CM Dr. Wilfred de Souza seen felicitating Prabhakar Tendulkar on the occasion of his 75th Birthday function jointly organised by Dalgado Konknni Akademi and Omar Prokaxon, Candolim. Also seen are DKA President Premanand A. Lotlikar, Padmashree Suresh Amonkar and Omor Prokaxon Publisher Tomazinho.


5/6/2009

ROMI SOLDIER TURNS 75



ROMI SOLDIER TURNS 75
By: Walter Menezes

Writer. Editor. Publisher. Doyen of the Konknni Movement.
Prabhakar Tendulkar will be felicitated at a public function organized by Dalgado Konknni Akademi and Omor Prokaxon at GCCI Hall, Panaji today. Kotha-ghons, his collection of short stories in Romi Konknni will also be released.
The young Editor
Prabhakar Tendulkar was born on June 4, seventy five summers ago. By the time he turned twenty, he was already shouldering the challenging responsibility as editor of the Konknni section of A Vanguarda, a popular Portuguese-Konknni weekly.
‘During those days, the Portuguese regime had banned entry of Marathi newspapers from Mumbai. In such a situation, even Hindus took to reading and writing Konknni in the Romi script,’ Tendulkar had reminisced of those days in a foreword to a book. ‘Tea bhair Kristanv bhav Romi Konknni fattlean aslech,’ he had added, speaking of a community which was always solidly behind Konknni in the Romi script.
A Vanguarda folded up three years after the Liberation of Goa but the ten-year stint (1954-1964) as editor of the weekly was long enough for Prabhakar Tendulkar to sketch in which direction his life would flow henceforth.
Dalesh Printers, his Mapusa-based printing-press, became an important hub of the Konknni movement and it was from here that countless writers in the Romi script had their first break and their first book published!
Gõykar and Konknni Kendr (Goem)
A determined Prabhakar Tendulkar launched Gõykar, a weekly in the Romi script in 1979, to fight for Goa’s twin aspirations: statehood and recognition of Konknni as Goa’s official language. Konknni Kendr (Goem), a literary organization was also established by him in the same year.



In 1980, somewhere in the month of April or May, Agnelo Pires and I were invited by Konknni Kendr to read our literary works. The two of us were then young and ‘budding writers’, expressing our hearts out through kovita and kotha. I remember it was a Sunday and we had left early in the morning from Kepem. Three bus-rides over two major rivers later, we were finally in Mapusa.
My short-story, Omega was well received. It was, in fact, my first story. After the ‘reading session’ was over, Prabhakar Tendulkar came forward and shook my hand. It was a warm and affectionate hand-shake. ‘I liked the story,’ he said. Then, with a smile on his face, he added, ‘Give me the manuscript. I will publish it on Gõykar!’
True to his word, my story was carried in one of the subsequent issues of the weekly.

The writer ‘within’
While egging on and encouraging young writers like me to sharpen our literary skills, the editor never forgot the ‘writer within him’. Prabhakar Tendulkar wrote many books in Konknni on many a subject, notable among them being Rangmachi, Gulab, Tin Tiatr, Sat Prosn, Oso ho Sonvsar and Jinneche Rong.
Recipient of a number of awards and recognitions from Akhil Bharoti Konknni Lekhok Som'melon, Akhil Gomantak Nabhik Samaj, Lions Club of Mapusa City, Mapusa’s Sarvojanik Ganesh Mohatsav Mandal and Konknni Bhasha Mandal, Prabhakar Tendulkar also received the prestigious Pri. Antonio Pereira Puroskar instituted by Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr, Porvorim.
A year ago, when I had met Prabhakar Tendulkar at Dalesh Printers in connection with my late brother’s book of short-stories which had earlier appeared on A Vanguarda some fifty years ago when he was its editor, he was totally disgusted at the treatment meted out to Konknni in the Romi script. ‘This is not what we fought for,’ he said. Prabhakar Tendulkar was the one leading the battle of the Konknni Porjecho Avaz from Mapusa during the language agitation.





Attempts to kill Romi script
Writing in the inaugural issue (Voros I, Ank 1) after ‘gifting’ his Gõykar to Omor Prokaxon and now being edited by Tomazinho Cardozo, he minced no words when he said, ‘Konknniche apunn mhalgodde mhunntteleamni Romi lipintli Konknni marunk zaite proitn keleat ani azun kortat…’ (Those who pride themselves as being elders of the Konknni movement have made several attempts to kill Konknni in the Romi script. Even now they have not stopped these attempts…)

Prabhakar Tendulkar is equally vociferous when he speaks about the Sahitya Akademi Awards (Gõykar, Oct 2008 issue). ‘Sod’dea ji pod’dot asa ti apleach bhitor Award vanttun ghevpachi koxi dista. Elsewhere in the same article, he says: Romi lipientle Konknnint borim pustokam boroun aplem akhem jivit sarlelea Fr. Antonio Pereira sarkhilea boroupeak Sahitya Akademicho Award mellunk nam…’ (The present arrangement looks like they want to share the award amongst themselves… A writer like Fr. Antonio Pereira who spent his whole life writing quality Konknni books in the Romi script has not received the Sahitya Akademi Award…)

Calling a spade a spade has been Prabhakar Tendulkar’s hallmark. Even in the twilight years of his life, he continues to do just that!

Zolm-disachim porbim tumkam, Prabhakar-bab Tendulkar!




Pics:

1 & 2: Prabhakar Tendulkar

3. Dec 31, 1956 issue of A Vanguarda

4. June 18, 1980 issue of Gõykar

5. Prabhakar Tendulkar releasing Camilo Menezes’ Noxibant Nirmilelem, a collection of short stories in Romi Konknni on 19.07.2008. Dr. Francisco Colaço and Tereza Travasso, then Chairperson of Quepem Municipal Council are also seen.

6. NRI Commissioner Eduardo Faleiro re-launching Gõykar in July 2008. Also seen are Prabhakar Tendulkar, DKA President Premanand Lotlikar, then President of GKA, Pundalik Naik and Tomazinho Cardozo, editor.

4/6/2009

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Niraxiponnachem Chintop ani Ulovp!

Niraxiponnachem Chintop ani Ulovp!

-Jose Salvador Fernandes

Dalgado Konknni Akademin (DKA) Poilem Konknni (Romi Lipi) Sahit'ya ani Sonvskrutichem itihasik Sommelon ghoddun haddit porian, Devonagori lipich zoi mhonnpeanchea pottant borench zoll'lam. Khorem mhonnlear, tankam bhirantecho kampero suttlolo asa. Tankam bhirant kosli? Konknnichea mollar Romi lipintlean fuddarak jem-jem aste-aste ghoddun ievpachem asa tachi. Te gozalichi tankam ekdom' bori zanniv asa hi gozal tea huskean bhorun bhitorlea bhitor gozali-khobro ani potrancher borovpam kortat tachevelean spoxtt ritin disun ieta.

Apunn Konknniche 'niz' mhalgodde (vo mal godde?) mhunn miroitolea devonagorivaleank tea Sommelonant sahitya ani sonvskruti soddun her soglem aslem oxem dista. Tem Sommelon mhonnlear dhormachea nanvan Konknni loka modem futt ghalpachem ek karosthan oxem tanchem chintop asa. Tea Sommelonak khuim dhormvadacho vas ieta. Tea Sommelona udexim sorkarachea duddvancho idvas kela oxem-i tanchem mhonn'nnem asa.

'Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder' oxi inglezintlean ek mhonn'nni asa. Monis je gozalik aple nodrentlean polleta toxich taka khuim ti dista. Konnkni mollar Devnagorivaleamni Romi lipik sodanch hollduvim oklam lavun polleleant. Bhaxeche nodrentean Konknnichea mollar Romi lipintlean jem kitem uzvadda ieta vo ghoddta tantum Devnagorivaleank kednach Konknnichi udorgot ani boreponn pollevnk na. Poilem Konknni (Romi Lipi) Sahit'ya ani Sonvskrutichem itihasik Sommelon ghoddun haddlem tantum tankam Konknnichea boreponnache nodrentlean kainch mellunk na.Romi liintlean Konknnichea mollar kitem-i sahityache ani sonvskrutiche nodrentlean ghoddun ieta tednam tankam tantum sahitya ani sonvskruti soddun tankam her sogllem dista zalear tantum Romi lipicho koslo guneanv? "Xevttim, vozr (diamond) parkupak-ui nodor lagta, patrtai (qualification) lagta. Parkupich tor svotacho fator aslo ani to vozrak sado khoddo somzolo zalear to dox (defect) tea fatracho; vozracho nhoi!"

Soglleankuch khobor asa tea pormannem, Dalgado Konknni Akademin, Konknniche Romi lipichi chollvoll fuddem vhortana dhormachea nanvar kednach bhed-bhav korunk na. Kela zalear, konnem-i mhaka 'challenge' korum ieta, hanv tondd divnk raji asam. Toxem aslem zalear, DKA-cho poilo bhanddari (treasurer) Prabhakar Tendulkar DKA-cho pod-odhikari (office bearer) aspacho? Sodeak DKA-cho odheokx Premanand A Lotlikar asa to odheokxpodar aspacho? DKA-chem Poilem Konknni (Romi Lipi) Sahit'ya ani Sonvskrutichem itihasik Sommelon tacho Sekretar Tarkeshwar Naik asunk zatalo? Hache urfattem, Gőyant Konknnichea mollar jeo-jeo sonvstha asat tea podancher ani her zageancher Devnagorivaleamni podancher ani her panvddeancher dhormachim tonddam pollevn vavr choloila. Hachem khoreponn amkam Go Konkni Akademint, Konknni Bhaxa Mondollant, Dusrdorxancher, Akaxvannicher ani Konknnicho vavr cholvpachea her zageancher ugtea dolleamni disun ieta.He vixim konnak-ui tachem mon vicharlear to soroll hem ki dhormachea nanvan Konknni loka modem futt ghalpachem ek karosthan, he gozalik dhormvadacho vas ieta oxem mhonnlea ani sanglea viret ravchona. Konknnichea mollar dhormachea pakhea khal te oslim khotteponnam kortat tim ami tanche (Devnagrivaleanchea) nodrek haddun tonddar marlear, magir ami dhormvadi!

Tea Sommelona udexim sorkarachea duddvancho idvas kela oxem-i ek Devnagorivaleanchem mhonn'nnem asa. Sommelonacho khorch pollevpak DKA-cho bhanddari aslo, toch sogllo khorchacho vavr polleta. DKA-k khuim kitlo ani koslo khorch zata tacho, DKA-chea pod-odhikareank ani vavurpi somitik bhes-bori khobor asta. Poilem Konknni (Romi Lipi) Sahit'ya ani Sonvskrutichem Sommelonak kitlo ani koslo ortabhorit khorch zalo to-ui tankam khobor asa. Punn Sommelona udexim DKA-n khorch korun DKA-n sorkari duddvancho idvas kela oxem mhonnpak DKA-chea Sommelonachim bilam Devnagorivalea kodde konnem tori 'audit' korunk dilolea porim te uloitat. Konknnicheach bavttea khal ravun Romi lipintlem hem Sommelon kelem mhunn tankam DKA-n sorkari duddvancho idvas kelo dista. Ani Devnagorivale sorkari duddvamni apunn Sommelonam ani Porixodo ani Mohautsov kortat tednam tankam apunn duddvancho idvas korta oxem kiteak disonam? Sommelonam kortat tim tor duddvancho idvas oxem tankam dista zalear Devnagorivaleamni tim Sommelonam, Porixodeo adi. korpachim kiteak bond korunk nant? Vichar korpa sarki gozal!
Romi lipintlea Sommelonak lagun Devnagorivaleank bhirantecho kampero suttlolo asa oxem hanvem survatekuch mhonnlam..Oi! Tankam bhirant disunk laglea. Konknnichea mollar Romi lipintlean fuddarak jem-jem aste-aste ghoddun ievpachem asa tachi tankam atam sulus lagunk laglea. Konknnichea mollar her lipim vangdda Konknni bhaxechi sodanch bori ani khori udorgot zaum oxem mandit ailole DKA-n Devnagorik dhorun aiz meren khuinchech lipicho dusvas korunk na. Ani teach monan DKA aplo vavr fuddem vhorta, ani tachea vavrak borem foll mellpache dis lagim pavleat. Ani tika tor tem foll mell'lem zalear, Devonagorichem khatren luksonn zatolem hachem niraxiponn Devnagorivaleank poilench bhogunk laglam. Oi, ani heach niraxiponnantlean tankam bhirant disunk laglea. Mhunnonuch Devonagorivale Konknniche Romi lipicher sorv torechem vikh onkhtat.Punn vell ietoch tem tanchem vikh tankanch malpoddtolem. To vell ani dis pois na mhonnchem poddta!

23/1/2009

[As published in Gulf-Goans e-Newsletter under the caption "Sonvarachim Sungttam - a weekly Konkani column by Prof. Jose Salvador Fernandes].


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Prabhakar Tendulkar - A Selfless and Dedicated Fighter of Konkani

Prabhakar Tendulkar -
A Selfless and Dedicated Fighter of Konkani
● Tomazinho Cardozo

After the Liberation of Goa, Goans had to face many serious challenges. The two most important of all the challenges were the threat of merger of Goa into Maharashtra and that of making Marathi the Official Language of Goa. Goans who desired to preserve the Goan identity and to make Konkani the Official Language of Goa had to put up a stiff fight. Many lives were lost. The historic Opinion Poll and the agitation to make Konkani the Official Language of Goa was fought and won. There were some Goans who fought against the merger of Goa into Maharashtra and for making Konkani the Official Language of Goa silently. One such personality is Shri. Prabhakar Tendulkar from Mapusa.

Tomorrow, the 4th June Shri. Tendulkar completes 75 years of his life. Dalgado Konknni Akademi, Goa and Omor Prokaxon, Candolim have jointly organized a function to felicitate this great, selfless and silent fighter of Konkani. The function will be held at the Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry Hall, near Azad Moidan, Panaji at 5.00 p.m. We request all lovers of Konkani to attend the felicitation function.

Prabhakar Tendulkar’s contribution to Konkani language, particularly to Konkani in Roman script, is immense. Not only after the Liberation of Goa but his efforts for the promotion of Konkani in Roman script dates back to Portuguese regime. Way back in 1954, when Marathi newspapers from Maharashtra started to come to Goa, his father started a weekly “A Vanguarda” in Portuguese & Konkani in Roman script. Mr. Prabhakar Tendulkar edited the Konkani Section of “A Vanguarda”. He edited this Konkani Section of “A Vanguarda” for a long period from 1954 to 1964. During this period he gave ample opportunities to the young writers of Konkani in Roman script to develop their literary talents.

He started a independent weekly “ Goykar” in Konkani in Roman script in 1979. The aim of “Goykar” was to achieve separate statehood for Goa and to make Konkani as the Official Language of Goa. Prabhakar Tendulkar, through “Goykar” was responsible to create a lot of awareness among Goan masses particularly among the Konkani readers in Roman script.

In order to unite all Konkani writers in Roman script and to provide them a common platform he established a literary association “Konknni Kendr” (Goem) in 1979. Through Konknni Kendr, he encouraged Konkani writers in Roman script by organizing various literary competitions and by giving literary awards for their outstanding literary works.


He was in the forefront during the Opinion Poll in 1967 and in the agitation for the recognition of Konkani as the State’s Official language in 1987. Due to his commitment to Konkani, he was appointed as the President of Mapusa branch of Konknni Porjecho Avaz, which spearheaded the movement of making Konkani the Official Language of Goa.

He was the founder Treasurer of Dalgado Konknni Akademi, which was established in 1989 in order to fight the injustice meted to Konkani in Roman script. He still continues to be an active member of Dalgado Konknni Akademi.

Till date, he has published 10 books in Konkani in Roman script. His works includes Essays, Short stories, Novels, Poems, Tiatrs, etc. Some of his books are:- Rangmachi, Gulab, Tin Tiatr, Sat Prosn, Kotha Ghons, Oso ho Sonvsar, Jinnecho Rong, etc. His literary works have always highlighted the burning social problems existing in our society.

In order to promote publication of Konkani books, he set up his own printing press - Dalesh Printers, Mapusa. It was a small printing press but its contribution to Konkani language particularly in Roman script was huge. He served the Konkani language by helping hundreds of young writers to publish their Konkani books. He also transliterated Roman script Konkani books into Devnagiri script and published them in the book form so that literature in Roman script is taken to the readers of Konkani in Devanagiri script.

His contribution to the cause of Konkani for almost five and half decades has made Prabhakar Tendulkar synonymous with Konkani in Roman script. He has created a unique place for himself among the writers and readers and protagonists of Konkani in Roman script in particular and Konkani lovers in general.

Due to his valuable contribution to Konkani language, he has been felicitated by numerous cultural, literary and social organizations. He is also the recipient of the prestigious “Fr. Antonio Pereira Puroskar” of Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr, Porvorim. Dalgado Konknni Academy has also honoured him by conferring on him the ‘Dalgado Puroskar’ for his lifetime contribution to Konkani Language. We wish him happiness and a long life to serve the cause of Konkani and Goa.


N.B. This article is published on Gomantak Times dated 3rd June 2009




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