Mangalore to host Konkani meet in Dec

Despite the variety of scripts, dialects, castes and creed, Konkanis spread all over the world have forged unity on the principle: Unity in diversity.

For years members of the Konkani community have been discussing ways and means to strengthen this unity and give leadership at the global level to all Konkani issues.The issue was again revived at the meeting of Konkani representatives of different regions held in the city on September 11.

However, unlike in the previous meetings, the representatives elected an ad hoc committee to explore initiatives in realising their objective.The ad hoc committee met on September 18 in Goa and elected Eric Ozario as president and Tomazinho Cardozo from Goa as executive secretary. The other office-bearers are:Pratap Naik (Goa), Udaykant Anvekar (Karwar), Ancy Paladka (Mumbai), Hemacharya (Dubai), Gladys Rego (Mangalore), Prabhakar Tendulkar (Goa), Lilly Miranda (Mangalore),Narayan Kharvi (Kundapur), Vally Vogga (Mysore), Raju Kumble (Kerala), Dr L Edward Nazareth (Mangalore) and Premanand Lotlikar (Goa).The ad hoc committee in the same committee decided to name the proposed world body as ‘Vishva Konkani Parishad’ (World Konkani Council).
It was also decided to circulate the objectives and the draft Constitution among all Konkani organisations in different parts of the world and invite them to the first meeting of the World Konkani Council to be held in Mangalore on December 4, 2005.Committee president Eric Ozario and secretary Tomazinho Cardozo jointly appealed all Konkani organisations to register their names with the executive secretary at the executive office (Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr, Alto Porvorim, Goa 403521) of the World Konkani Council before October 15 (Phone 0832-2415857).