Goan writer Damodar Mauzo gets Jnanpith Award

May 28, 2023 12:33

Goan writer Damodar Mauzo has received the prestigious Jnanpith Award, the country's highest literary honour, from state Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai.

Addressing a gathering after presenting the award on Saturday, the governor said Mauzo is the "epitome of the Konkani literary culture."

Renowned poet Gulzar was present during the function held at the Raj Bhavan near Goa capital Panaji.

Mauzo's 25 books have been published in Konkani and one in English. Many of his books have also been translated in different languages.

Pillai said Konkani is qualitatively rich in its literature though it is spoken by a few lakh people.

The governor drew parallels between Charles Dickens and Damodar Mauzo who, he said, chose to portray orphaned children as main characters in their writings.

Both these great writers have bravely "shown the mirror to the society", he said.

"I feel proud and happy to bestow this great award on the great Goan writer Damodarji," the governor said.

Mauzo's famous novel Karmelin received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1983.

The novel, published in 1981, has been translated in Hindi, Marathi, English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Tamil, Odia and Maithili languages.

Mauzo is the second Goan to receive the Jnanpith Award. Earlier, Ravindra Kelekar from the coastal state got the award in 2008.

While Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who was in Delhi, joined the function online, state Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude and Bharatiya Jnanpith president Justice Virendra Jain were present at the Raj Bhavan during the event.

Gulzar and Gaude also spoke on the occasion. -- PTI

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Pak boat carrying drugs worth Rs 600 cr seized off Guj coast, 14 held

The overnight operation in the Arabian Sea was carried out in coordination with the Gujarat Anti-terrorism Squad and the Narcotics Control Bureau, it said.

8 fresh forest fires in 24 hours in U'khand; Army joins IAF to douse fire

Efforts have also intensified to extinguish the raging forest fires in the state, especially in the worst-affected areas of Nainital, Haldwani and Ramnagar forest divisions, forest officials here said on Sunday.

Village defence guard killed in gunfight with terrorists in J-K

A massive search operation is underway to flush out the terrorists, who are believed to have recently infiltrated from Pakistan, they said.

In Pictures - Gaikwad's bold 98 propels CSK to 212/3 vs SRH

IMAGES from the IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday

Two succumb to sunstroke as Kerala grapples with severe heat

As Kerala battles severe heat, the meteorological department has issued a maximum temperature warning for 12 districts for the upcoming five days.