Konkani Parishad's silver jubilee session in February

Delegates from Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Goa to attend

• Artiste and writer Girish Karnad and pop star Remo Fernandes will attend
• Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane and Governor S.C. Jamir will be special invitees
• Seminars will be held on a variety of topics

The All India Konkani Parishad is expecting a major turnout from Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra apart from Goa for its three-day silver jubilee session to be held here from February 10.

Addressing presspersons on Tuesday, organisers led by Chairman of reception committee MP Shantaram Naik said that they expected over 4,000 delegates from Goa for the session. Efforts are on to get at least 200 delegates from the other three states.

The parishad was established in 1939 in Karwar. Since then, the parishad has held its 24 biennial sessions in Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala.

Mr. Naik said that efforts are on to invite Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to open the session.

Among the dignitaries to attend the session will be artiste and writer Girish Karnad, actress Varsha Usgaonkar, pop star Remo Fernandes and Karnataka Minister R.V. Deshpande. Goa Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane and Goa Governor S.C. Jamir will be special invitees.

Writer and activist of Konkani movement Paul Moras of Mangalore will be President of the 25th Parishad.

Office-bearer of the parishad Tanaji Halankar said that recipient of the Sahitya Academy Award for 2005 N. Shivadas will be felicitated at the session.

Felicitation

Twelve former Presidents of the parishad hailing from Karnataka, Kerala and Goa will also be felicitated.

Seminars will be organised on topics such as "cultural state of Konkani people- possibilities and prospects", "use and interaction of Konkani language through information technology", "economics, politics and sociology of traditional occupations of the Konkani society", "non- Konkani people and their "Konkani-isation" and "Konkani education and its practical utility".