“A society that stays connected to its culture remains strong, but one that abandons it is doomed to collapse,” said Journalist Pramod Acharya, as he presented the ‘Josephine Dias Puroskar’ to young tiatrist Velbe Angel Cardozo at a function organised by the Tiatr Academy of Goa (TAG) at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao.
The prestigious award is presented annually to a promising tiatr artist below the age of 16 and was conferred during a well-attended ceremony that also saw the prize distribution of TAG’s 3rd Inter-School Tiatr Competition.
Acharya, who attended as Chief Guest, emphasised the value of preserving Goa’s cultural identity, calling Tiatr one of the few surviving commercial theatre forms in India. He stated that all Goans should take pride in this unique tradition and urged for stronger government support alongside public participation. Addressing the younger generation, he noted that “Making reels is not art, but using reels to promote your skills and genuine art is a worthy pursuit.”
Guest of Honour, veteran tiatrist Chitra Shirvaikar e Afonso, called on children to actively participate in tiatr to help preserve the Konkani language and culture. “It’s not just about winning prizes. Taking part and giving your best is the real reward,” she said, stressing the role of young talents in keeping Konkani alive.
Legendary tiatrist Josephine Dias, in whose honour the award is instituted, was present as Special Invitee, and shared emotional recollections of the challenges faced by tiatrists in earlier generations. She commended the young performers for their dedication and congratulated TAG for promoting Goa’s rich theatrical heritage.
Arvind Dias, son of Josephine Dias and sponsor of the award, also addressed the gathering, acknowledging the consistent efforts of TAG in nurturing new talent and preserving the legacy of Konkani theatre.
TAG President Anthony Barbosa extended his gratitude to the Dias family and appealed to other families of iconic tiatrists to support budding artists.
Vice-President Marcos Gonsalves, delivering the vote of thanks, reiterated TAG’s commitment to bringing tiatr to the next generation and preserving it as a vital element of Goa’s cultural fabric.
The function concluded with the distribution of prizes for the 3rd Inter-School Tiatr Competition, which saw enthusiastic participation from students across the state. The event was attended by a large audience, including schoolchildren, teachers, tiatr lovers, and cultural supporters.
