During his address to the audience at the diamond jubilee celebration of Kokani Bhasha Mandal (KBM) on Friday, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said, “Konkani Bhasha Mandal has strived relentlessly to make Goa a Konkani State and we must admit its immense contribution in taking the Konkani language proudly before the world.”
“The government understands the need to increase the number of Konkani medium schools along with other schools and we would include this issue in the National Education Policy, as we know how important it is to educate the child in his/her mother tongue in the formative years of life,” he added.
On the occasion of the 60th anniversary KBM, veterans Naguesh Karmali, Adv Uday Bhembre, Damodar Mauzo, Pundalik Naik, Meena Kakodkar and Hema Naik were honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at the hands of CM Sawant and Prof Dr Ashwani Kumar, writer and dean, School of Development Studies, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai.
Singers Lorna Cordeiro and Pandit Ajit Kumar Kadkade along with industrialists and philanthropists Shrinivas Dempo and Kamlaksh Naik along with Konkani film producer Dr Pramod Salgaonkar were presented with the honorary membership of KBM.
Himachal Pradesh Governor Rajendra Arlekar, industrialists and philanthropists Auduth Timblo and Dattaraj Salgaocar were presented the honorary membership of KBM in their absence.
Also, a special issue of ‘Konkani’ was launched on the occasion at the hands of the dignitaries.
Assuring assistance and monetary grants to Konkani Bhasha Mandal as well as other institutions that are trying to promote Konkani, Marathi, and other languages in Goa, the Chief Minister stated, “I am aware that Goa Konkani Academy is running from a small building at Patto. Of the three years of my tenure as Chief Minister, two-and-a-half years were consumed by covid pandemic and hence we could not do much to assist KBM or Goa Konkani Akademi in taking forward their endeavours, however the government would do everything to see that soon Konkani Bhavan will be a reality.”Highlighting Goa’s unique socio-cultural atmosphere, CM Sawant said that language has played an important role in maintaining the special identity of Goa and Goans. “It is our duty to retain this uniqueness of our State while preserving our ancient culture and ethos,” said the CM.
