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