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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Passengers of accident hit express train left for Darbhanga by special train, says railway
Chennai (PTI): Passengers of the Darbhanga Bagmati express that met with an accident at Kavaraipettai near here late last night have left for Dharbanga by a special train on Saturday, the southern railway said.
The Train No.12578 Mysuru - Darbhanga Bagmati Express collided with a stationary goods train at around 8.30 pm on October 11 and the passengers were transported by buses to Ponneri and then to Chennai Central by two EMU specials, the railway said.
"After all the passengers arrived, they were boarded onto the passenger special towards Darbhanga, via Arakkonam, Renigunta and Gudur," a release here said.
The passengers were provided with food packets and water and the special train left at 4.45 am, it said.
"It was not supposed to stop here (Kavarapettai station), so it was to pass through it. After leaving Chennai, green signals were given for this train. The driver was following the signals correctly, but the train should have taken the main line. Instead, it took the loop line at the switch, which is where the error occurred," R N Singh, General Manager of Southern Railway, said.
The reasons for this were a matter of investigation. Seven to eight people have suffered injuries, and there are no casualties, Singh told reporters.
Meanwhile, the southern railway has rescheduled all trains passing through this section.
