Michael D Souza to lead Reception Committee for 25th All India Konkani Sahitya Sammelan
Mangalore: Prominent Konkani supporter and advocate for the 'Vision Konkani' program, Michael D Souza, will be leading the Reception Committee for the upcoming 25th All India Konkani Sahitya Sammelan as its President. The event is scheduled to take place at the Basti Vaman Shenoy Stage within the premises of the World Konkani Centre on November 4th and 5th. This marks the first time that Mangalore is hosting the All India Konkani Parishad's event in its 84-year history.
CA Nandagopal Shenoy, President of the World Konkani Centre, and Sahitya Akademi awardee Gokuldas Prabhu have been appointed as Vice Presidents, adding to the distinguished lineup. Konkani poet and thinker Titus Noronha will serve as the General Secretary, while journalist H. M. Pernal will take on the role of Working President within the Reception Committee.
The event is expected to draw approximately 650 delegates from various parts of India, making it a significant gathering for Konkani literature and culture enthusiasts. Sri Michael D'Souza, an NRI entrepreneur and philanthropist based in Abu Dhabi, has been instrumental in supporting Konkani activities and programs both in India and abroad. His 'Vision Konkani' initiative has empowered Konkani writers and artists, providing substantial grants for Konkani book publications, music productions, and feature films.
Under his visionary program 'Vision Konkani', D'Souza has contributed Rs. 40 Lakhs for Konkani book publication grants, Rs. 10 Lakhs for Konkani music grants, and Rs. 25 Lakhs for Konkani feature film grants. He has also established the EDU CARE scholarship program, benefiting 3,500 Konkani-speaking students for higher education under the supervision of CODP, Dioceses of Mangalore.
Various sub-committees have been formed to ensure the smooth functioning of the event, with prominent figures like Poet Melvyn Rodrigues, Chetan Acharya, and Dr. Kasturi Mohan Pai guiding the efforts. Committees have been established for finance, food, venue, front office, volunteers, accommodation, transport, program planning, stage management, media promotion, printing, and souvenir creation.
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Ranchi: Temple guard bludgeoned to death during robbery attempt, 3 held
Ranchi (PTI): A 60-year-old security guard of a temple in Ranchi was bludgeoned to death with a stone during a robbery attempt, police said on Saturday.
The incident happened late on Thursday at the Jagannath Temple in the Dhurwa Smart City area, they said.
"Three persons were arrested on Friday for killing the security guard. They confessed to the crime and told police that the victim had identified them. Therefore, in fear of being caught, they killed him by attacking him with a stone on his head," SSP Rakesh Ranjan said.
"Thereafter, they took money from the donation box and fled the scene. Two of them have criminal antecedents," he added.
Ranjan said the investigators recovered Rs 3 lakh in cash that had been robbed, the stone with blood-stained marks, and the iron rod used to break open the lock of the donation box kept there.
An FIR in this regard was lodged at the Dhurwa police station, he said, adding that the accused were sent to judicial custody by a court.
