Awardees of the Lifetime Contribution to Khell/Khell-Tiatr are pictured with the Chief Guest and other dignitaries.
PANAJI
The Tiatr Academy of Goa, a Government of Goa undertaking, celebrated the birth anniversary of the late Rosario Rodrigues, known as the Father of Khell-Tiatr, on October 24 at 3:30 pm. The event took place at the Conference Hall in Ravindra Bhavan, Margao.
During the celebration, three prominent figures in Khell-Tiatr were honoured with the Lifetime Contribution to Khell/Khell-Tiatr Award. The recipients were Maria Amelia Sororrinha Fernandes (Socorrinha de Sanguem), Antonio Xavier Fernandes (Anthony de Velim), and Agnelo Joao. The awards were presented by the Chief Guest, Adv. Narendra Sawaikar, Commissioner for NRI Affairs. Menino Fernandes (Menino de Bandar), a well-known Tiatrist and former President of TAG, was the Guest of Honour, while Floyd Rodrigues, the son of the late Rosario Rodrigues, was a special invitee.
In his speech, the Chief Guest praised the tiatr community for its significant role in driving social change. He encouraged tiatr artists to guide younger generations by sharing positive values in their performances. He noted that tiatr is a powerful tool for raising social awareness and improving society. He also requested the Tiatr Academy of Goa to publish some of the scripts written by Rosario Rodrigues to honour his contributions to tiatr, ensuring that his legacy is remembered by future generations. Guest of Honour Menino Fernandes acknowledged Rosario Rodrigues’s influence in nurturing new talent, stating that many artists owe their careers to him. Awardee Antonio Xavier Fernandes thanked the Tiatr Academy of Goa for recognising their work on the tiatr stage.
After the awards ceremony, prizes from TAG’s 4th All Goa Inter-Collegiate/HSS Tiatr Competition 2024-25 and the 2nd All Goa Inter-School Tiatr Competition 2024-25 were distributed to the winners by the Chief Guest and other dignitaries.
The event also featured a performance of Konkani songs by the talented musician Shri Norman Cardozo and his troupe, with a brass band provided by Edrol Fernandes and his group.
Anthony Barbosa, President of the Tiatr Academy of Goa, welcomed the audience. In his address, he shared his dream of establishing a Tiatr Bhavan to promote tiatr, revealing that plans are already underway to complete the project during his tenure. He also announced plans for a group insurance scheme for tiatr artists.
