(December 11, 2010) President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on December 9th
honoured two Religious priests for promoting Konkani language and culture. Konkani
is the official language of Goa state. It is also spoken by Catholics in Mangalore,
Karnataka. The president honoured the priests at the silver jubilee celebration of
Mandd Sobhann, a Konkani cultural organization in Mangalore, a Christian stronghold
in Karnataka. Jesuit Father Pratap Naik has worked as a linguistic researcher in
Thomas Stephens Konkani Kendra, a centre promoting Konkani language in Goa, since
1982. The Goa government has recognized the centre as a Konkani research institute.
The other priest, Capuchin Father Peter Cyprian D’Souza, directs Konkani Natak Sabha
(drama assembly), a Catholic cultural trust that promotes spiritual messages through
plays, dramas and related activities for the past 66 years. Father D’Souza said he
was happy that the nation has recognized the Catholic Religious who try to promote
culture and language. He told that his centre was founded by a Jesuit priest and
Capuchin priests promoted it in association with lay artists. Its main aim is to preserve
culture and create religious awareness especially through Biblical skits. The centre
has produced some 170 Konkani plays, Father D’Souza added. The president lauded educational
institutions managed by Konkani community for educating people of India for more than
a century. Some 10,000 people from various religions attended the program.