Bantwal: ‘Vishwa Konkani Sardar’ Basti Vaman Shenoy no more!

Mangaluru: Noted Konkani activist, Basti Vaman Shenoy passed away on Sunday, January 2 at the age of 87.

In a communique, his family announced that Shenoy breathed his last, today at 12.15 pm at his residence at Thumbe in Bantwal. His health was deteriorating due to age-related illness for the last couple of months.

His mortal remains will be kept at World Konkani Centre for the public to pay homage between 9.00 a.m. to 10.00 a.m on January 3. thereafter, he will be cremated at his birthplace Bantwal at 12 pm, his family said.

Basti Vaman Shenoy was born on 6 November 1934 in Bantwal a small trading town on the banks of River Netravathi. Popularly known as Vishwa Konkani Sardar, he was the founder of the World Konkani Centre in Shakthinagar.

Because of his efforts in 1994-95 the then Chief Minister of Karnataka Dr. Veerappa Moily announced the establishment of Konkani Academy in the state.

In 1995 from 16 December to 22, under the auspice of Konkani Bhasha Mandal Karnataka, as Chief Convener, Basti Vaman Shenoy organized First World Konkani Convention in Mangaluru.

He was instrumental in organizing a Workshop for developing teaching material in the Konkani language in collaboration with the Central Institute of Indian Languages in 2001. This workshop successfully brought out a Konkani Primer Book called “Konkani Kalo”.