Konkani Writers’ Forum Karnataka pays tribute to Ravindra Kalekar

Konkani Writers’ Forum, Karnataka organized a condolence meeting on 5th September 2010 to pay tribute to Jnanapeeth award winning Konkani  Writer Ravinda Kelekar who passed away recently, at Dirvem Mini Hall, Mangalore.

H M Pernal, General Secretary of the Forum welcomed the gathering and introduced the speaker Dr. William R Da Silva , Professor of Social Science and Communication and Director of School of Konkani Studies and Research, Mangalore to the audience.

Speaking on the occasion Dr. William R Da Silva said “Though Kelekar was influenced by Gandhian thinking,  he was nourishing an ambition to become an ‘aamdaar’ ( MLA ) one day. Though he was not a strong supporter of  Standardization in Konkani,  he took the first initiative to compile the bibliography of all works published in Konkani spread across Goa, Mangalore, Mumbai and Cochin irrespective of scripts.

Full report here Bellevision

Ravindra Kelekar passes away

Konkani litterateur and Jnanpith Award winner Ravindra R. Kelekar, 85, died at a hospital at Margao on Friday,  August 28, after a brief illness. He is survived by son Girish and his family.

The mortal remains will be consigned to the flames with full State honours at his native village of Priol in south Goa, around 18 km from Panaji, on Saturday, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said.

As a mark of respect, the State government announced a public holiday for half a day on Friday and for the whole day of Saturday.

Ravindra Kelekar was born on March 25, 1925 at Cuncolim in south Goa. Influenced by the Gandhian thoughts, he was actively involved in the freedom struggle and the Goa liberation movement. Though he also wrote in Marathi and Hindi, his contributions to the growth of Konkani were immense. He was always at the forefront of the Konkani movement. He fought several battles to seek recognition of the Konkani language.

Full report here Hindu

Adeus Ravindrabab

Literary giant and Goa's only Jnanpith award winner Ravindra Kelekar passed away on Friday. 

The end for the Konkani stalwart came at 11.30am and his mortal remains will be consigned to the flames at noon on Saturday. The police will reverse their arms and bugles will be sounded to the last post as the pyre is lit at his village of Priol in Ponda taluka.

A Gandhian activist and freedom fighter who participated in the Indian freedom movement and Goa's struggle for liberation, Kelekar also led from the front in the anti-merger campaign of the newly-formed Union territory with Maharashtra and in the battle for recognition of the official language.

Paying rich tributes to Kelekar's immense contribution to Konkani literature and Goan culture in general, chief minister Digambar Kamat declared a public holiday on Saturday and all government offices closed after lunch on Friday as a mark of respect to mourn Kelekar's death. Sources said the holiday is applicable only to government offices and educational institutions like schools and colleges.

Full report here Times of India