Konkani is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Konkani people, primarily in the Konkan region, along the western coast of India. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages mentioned in the Indian Constitution, and the official language of the Indian state of Goa. It is also spoken in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Gujarat as well as Damaon, Diu & Silvassa.
Media in Goa refers to the newspapers, magazines, radio stations, cable and television networks and online media in India's smallest state. Over the past two-and-half decades, the Goa-linked online media has also grown.
Ravindra Kelekar was an Indian author who wrote primarily in the Konkani language, though he also wrote in Marathi and Hindi. A Gandhian activist, freedom fighter and a pioneer in the modern Konkani movement, he was a well known Konkani scholar, linguist, and creative thinker. Kelekar was a participant in the Indian freedom movement, Goa's liberation movement, and later the campaign against the merger of the newly formed Goa with Maharashtra. He played a key role in the founding of the Konkani Bhasha Mandal, which lead the literary campaign for the recognition of Konkani as a full-fledged language, and its reinstatement as the state language of Goa. He authored nearly 100 books in the Konkani language, including Amchi Bhas Konkaneech, Shalent Konkani Kityak, Bahu-bhashik Bharatant Bhashenche Samajshastra and Himalayant, and also edited Jaag magazine for more than two decades.
The 1967 Goa status referendum popularly known as the Goa Opinion Poll was a referendum held in newly annexed union territory of Goa and Damaon in India, on 16 January 1967, to deal with the Konkani language agitation and to decide the future of Goa.
Manohar Rai Sardesai was an Indian Konkani poet, writer and French translator. He received his Doctorat ès lettres françaises for his thesis "L'image de l'Inde en France" from the University of Sorbonne. He has been credited for an upsurge of modern Konkani poetry. Sardesai died in 2006.
The Konkani language agitations were a series of protests in India, concerning the uncertain future of the Konkani language. They were held by Goans in the former territory of Goa, Daman and Diu; then under the administration of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP). The protests involved citizen journalism, student activism & political demonstrations. The civil unrest ceased when premier official status for Konkani in the Devnagari script was granted. Marathi was declared an associate official language of Goa.
Sunaparant was a Konkani newspaper in Devanagari script. Based in Goa, India, it operated from 1987 to 2015. It published a special magazine during the Ganesh Chaturthi annual festival. Sunaparant was started on 13 May 1987, after Konkani was made the official language on 4 February that year, after a prolonged struggle by Goans.
Damodar Mauzo is an Indian short story writer, novelist, critic, and screenwriter in Konkani. He was awarded the 57th Jnanpith Award, India's highest literary honour, in 2022, Sahitya Akademi Award in 1983 for his novel Karmelin and the Vimala V. Pai Vishwa Konkani Sahitya Puraskar award for his novel Tsunami Simon in 2011. His collection of short stories Teresa's Man and Other Stories from Goa was nominated for the Frank O'Connor International award in 2015. He has served as a member of the executive board, general council, as well as the finance committee of the Sahitya Akademi.
Konkani literature is literature in the Konkani language, mostly produced in three scripts: Roman, Devanagari and Kannada. Konkani literature is eligible for the Sahitya Akademi Award.
John Aguiar is an Indian Konkani poet, writer, songwriter and journalist whose songs have been broadcast over the All India Radio network, mainly in Goa and on CDs.
Prashanti Talpankar is an Indian writer, translator, playwright, and actor. She is a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize for her work in Konkani and is a cancer survivor.
Shakuntala Bharne is an Indian vocalist, writer, poet and announcer at All India Radio. She is a writer and activist of the Konkani language agitation.
Tanaji Halarnkar was a Konkani scholar, columnist and former editor of the Konkani Encyclopedia. Halarnkar played a prominent role in the pro-Konkani language agitation in the Goa of the 1980s, and also in the wider movement for the promotion of the Konkani language in Goa and other parts of western coastal India. His other contributions include helping develop scientific and technical terminology for Konkani. He was involved with organising Konkani literary events, authored books, and did his Ph.D. on the gram panchayats of Goa.
Matheus Correia, known professionally as Comedian Selvy, was an Indian comedian, actor, playwright, singer, director, and producer known for his work in Konkani films and tiatr productions. Referred to as the "Comedy King of the Konkani stage" by The Navhind Times, he is regarded as one of the greatest Konkani comedians of his generation. He was noted mainly for his comedy performances and was deemed "Goa's most loved comedian".
John Claro Fernandes was an Indian writer, theatre director, playwright, and actor known for his work in tiatr productions. Throughout his extensive career, he has made crucial contributions to the development and advancement of Goan tiatr. His noted research on the history of tiatr led to the discovery that the inaugural tiatr production, titled Italian Bhurgo, took place on 17 April 1892, at the New Alfred Theatre in Bombay, presently occupied by the Police Commissioner headquarters.
Narayan Ramnath Mauzo, also known as Bhau, was an Indian language activist and businessman who was involved in the establishment of the Konkani Bhasha Mandal (KBM) and served as its treasurer. He played a key role in the founding of the organization and was actively involved in supporting a Konkani medium school. Mauzo was an experienced participant in the Konkani movement.
The Gomant Vidya Niketan (GVN) is a private cultural center based in Comba, Goa, India. Established in 1912, it was originally founded as the Saraswat Brahman Samaj, a small library. Over time, the organization has expanded its scope and focus. Following the Liberation of Goa in 1961, the organization was renamed to its current appellation. This change in name coincided with an elevation in the center's status, transforming it from a library into a broader cultural hub. The primary activities of the organization revolve around the promotion and hosting of cultural events and programs related to the Konkani and Marathi heritage. Gomant Vidya Niketan stands out as the longest-standing socio-cultural establishment in South Goa.
Gurunath Shivaji Kelekar was an Indian freedom fighter and author from Goa. He won the Sahitya Akademi Award for his translation of Mahatma Gandhi's The Story of My Experiments with Truth in Konkani.
Laxmikant Bhembre was an Indian freedom fighter and teacher. He was a member of the Sanghatna Samiti, which was renamed as Gomantak Congress.
