Konkanis should promote their language, literature: Goa CM

The Konkani community should strive to promote their language, art and literature across the globe, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said.

He was speaking after unveiling the brass statue of community leader late Basti Vaman Shenoy and a portrait of former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar at the World Konkani Centre (WKC) at Shaktinagar here late Wednesday evening.

Sawant also inaugurated the centre for excellence for empowerment of Konkani people at the WKC. The function was organised as part of the two-day World Konkani Samaroh which began at the centre on Wednesday.

Sawant said the works of art and literature by the Konkani people need to be recognised by all. The popularity of the language had increased after it was included in the eighth schedule, he said.

He asked the WKC to hold a Konkani Sammelan in Goa and promised to extend full support to such an event. Konkani Bhas Sanskrithi Prathistan chairman P Dayanand Pai, who also spoke, said Basti Vaman Shenoy had a dream of bringing the community together by promoting their language. The community has now made achievements in all sectors, Pai said.

BJP state president and Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and several entrepreneurs took part in the function. WKC president Nandagopal Shenoy welcomed the gathering.