Young Konkani writer Yugank Naik has refused to accept the second prize awarded to him by the Goa Kala Academy in the 50th Konkani Rajya Natya Saptah drama writing competition, saying the evaluation process lacked fairness and transparency.
According to the official results, in the Drama Writing “ Special Competition for New Scripts category, the Academy did not award a first prize, while the second prize of Rs 7,000 was given to Yugank Naik for his script Desh Raag.
In a detailed letter addressed to the President and Secretary of the Academy, Naik said he was rejecting the award on principle. He alleged that the judging process did not reflect the high standards the Academy is known for and claimed that another prize-winning script in the competition was written in just two days. This, he said, raised serious questions about the seriousness of the evaluation process.
Naik stated that such decisions disrespect writers and undermine the importance of a disciplined writing and review system. He said the Academy should have shared translated scripts, judges’ comments and clear reasoning before announcing the final results. This would have ensured transparency and maintained confidence in the competition.
He added that writers should not be treated as “soft targets” and emphasised the need for institutions to protect the dignity of Konkani drama.
