Looking Glass 7

Dateline Oct 30, 2005

Konkani and What Goans can do for it
Pratap Naik, S.J. 

1. Since Konkani in Roman script was neglected from the time of  liberation, now we have to work for giving Konkani in Roman script  its rightful place. Therefore, bring pressure on local MLAs, MPs, and government to amend the Official Language Act 1987 to get official and equal status for Roman script on par with Devanagari script.

2. Launch a secular Konkani weekly in Roman script. It should not be a mouthpiece of any particular political party or government. It should fearlessly speak out for Goa and issues related to Goa. Such  a weekly will promote critical thinking among local people and value based political, social life style.

3. NRIs could select and publish every year at least 10 Konkani books of a good standard written in Roman script. Let them start their own publishing house of a standard like Penguin, Oxford, Cambridge or Macmillan.

4. Publish children's literature. To promote Konkani among children a children's multi coloured periodical is really necessary and need of the hour.

5. NRIs could establish a few awards (Rs. 50,000/- to 100,000)in the name of their clubs or institutions and give them annually to a deserving person for his/her lifetime achievement to serve Konkani in Roman script. Four such awards are established for those who write Konkani in Kannada script.

6. Organise annual competitions or festivals for adults such as:  Tiatr, Khell-Tiatr, Khell, One act play, Kantaram, Mando, Christmas Carols, devotional hymns, motets.

7. Organise annual competitions for adults: short story, novel, article, poem, article, elocution, etc.

8. Organise annual competitions in two categories, namely for high school students and college students: elocution, essay, short story, poetry, folk story narration, Konkani riddles and proverbs, look at a picture and write a caption, etc

9. Select the first three tiatrs which win prizes at Kala Akademi competition, and have Tiatr festivals in important towns of Goa. Through these festivals the young tiatrists will get an exposure to their talents and creativity.

10. Produce good quality audio CDs of Kantaram, songs and jokes.

11. Give scholarships/grants to do research on various topics related  to Konkani in Roman script.

12. Establish a full-time Konkani channel for entertainment and  news. Such a channel will give a boost to Konkani and talents of  younger generation.

13. For whatever reason NRIs cannot attend to item numbers 1 to 12 on their own, then let them financially support or sponsor projects of those institutions which promote Konkani language, literature and
culture in Goa.


Pratap Naik, S.J.
Oct 30, 2005