MANGALURU: Konkani Kutam
Bahrain
, a voluntary forum exclusively for promoting Konkani language, literature and culture, has selected
Gratian
Pius D'Silva for Konkani Kutam award for 2016.
The forum in its endeavour to support Konkani writers and artists has instituted the award in 2002. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 50,000, citation, and a memento.
The award will be presented to Gratian at a function on September 23 in Bahrain. Gratian was born in
Kudupu
in 1954. He published his first Konkani short story in
Kannada
script when he was 16. A former officer with the Union home ministry, Gratian has so far published 197 short stories, 225 poems, 329 articles, 27 'Teen Khille'- a nano serial articles, jokes and crosswords which were published in Konkani magazines and websites.
A serial of 16 chapters on the '
Kanara Konknni Christian Marriage Traditions
' was published in 2012-13. His short stories have been translated in Kannada and published in various periodicals.
He has written articles and stories in Hindi and English. His eight novels and two collections of satiric stories were published in book form. He wrote and directed one drama and five mono-acts in Konkani and acted in a lead role in one of the dramas. His novel Dhon Thembe Dhukhan (Two Drops of Tears) won him Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Goa award. He is the recipient of Mahan Vyakthi (2007) by Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy and other awards.