Mysuru 27th Aug, 2024: The Konkani Christian Association (KCA) of Mysuru celebrated Konkani Manyata Divas and Family Day on Sunday, 18th August 2024, at their prominent venue, Konkan Bhavan, located in Vijayanagar 2nd Stage, Mysuru. The event commemorated the inclusion of the Konkani language in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution on 20th August 1992.

The day’s celebrations commenced with a Konkani Holy Mass at 8:30 AM, with the principal celebrant Rev. Fr. Wilfred Rodrigues of Pushpashram, joined by Fr. Merwin Noronha and Fr. Nicholas D’Souza, who co-celebrated the mass. This was followed by an engaging public function.

Family Day was inaugurated by the KCA President John William D’Souza, alongside a group of enthusiastic tiny tots, who participated in a basket-aiming activity. A variety of games were organized for different age groups and couples, with the active involvement of Konkani teachers and KCA Vice Presidents, Meena Dias and Stany Lobo. The games witnessed enthusiastic participation from all members.

In the afternoon, the Manyata Divas celebration was formally inaugurated with the lighting of the lamp by Vally Vogga (Valerian D’Souza), a renowned Konkani and Kannada writer and recipient of the Rajyotsava Award. He was joined by the Chief Guest, Joachim Stany Alvares, President of the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy. Also present on the dais were KCA President John William D’Souza, General Secretary Joyce Sequeira, and Treasurer Anil Saldanha.

In his address, Joachim Stany Alvares highlighted the rich history of the Konkani language and emphasized the importance of preserving its tradition and culture. He also commended the KCA for its significant contributions to community involvement and social service.

During the event, Joyce Sequeira, General Secretary, announced a donation of INR25,000 to the Little Sisters of the Poor, Gandhinagar. Additionally, two other beneficiaries suffering from prolonged illnesses were each provided with INR25,000 as medical assistance, reflecting KCA’s commitment to supporting those in need, regardless of caste, creed, or language.

KCA also took the opportunity to honor the Special Guest, Stany Alvares, and 30 past Office Bearers who had rendered selfless service to the Association during their tenure. The felicitation ceremony was coordinated by Sylvester D’Mello. A special stall featuring Konkani storybooks and traditional food delicacies was also set up for the occasion.

The celebrations concluded with the distribution of prizes by the Chief Guest. John D’Souza, welcomed the gathering, while Anil Saldanha, proposed the vote of thanks. The event was compered by Meena Dias, Vice President. The celebration saw the active participation of Konkani residents from Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts.