Poet Melvyn Rodrigues from Mangaluru to lead Konkani in Sahitya Akademi
Konkani poet, language activist, and the founder of Kavita Trust, Melvyn Rodrigues has been elected as the Convenor of Konkani Advisory Board of Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi at the general council meeting held on March 11, 2023, at the Sahitya Akademi offices in New Delhi which was attended by 99 newly elected members from various languages. This is the first time in the history of Sahitya Akademi anyone from outside Goa has been elected to lead the Konkani Advisory Board. By virtue of this election, Melvyn will be a member of the executive council of the Sahitya Akademi for the next five years.
Earlier in the month of January 2023 Melvyn was nominated to the General Council of Sahitya Akademi. Melvyn’s name was chosen by the outgoing general council, out of the several recommendations received from various Konkani institutions affiliated to the Akademi. Purnananda Chari from Goa has also been nominated to the general council and he represents the Konkani language from the state of Goa.
A graduate in Business Management and a postgraduate in Sociology, Melvyn is currently working as the Director of Operations, at Daijiworld Media Private Limited. He has the experience, working as a Quality Assurance Auditor in the Middle East for 15 years.
He is the founder of Kavita Trust, which has organized more than 220 programs on poetry and published 34 books to date.
His published works include 1-novella, 6-poetry collections, 3-translations, 2-collection of essays, 6-edited works and 1-musical album.
Melvyn has won many awards. Prominent among them are Sandesha award for Konkani literature (2021), MCA Doha Qatar’s Kala Puraskar (2019), Daiji Dubai Literary Award (2016), Smt. Vimala V Pai Vishwa Konkani Best Konkani Poetry Book Award (2016) for the Poetry Collection ‘Devi Ninkasi’, Sahitya Akademi Award (2011) for the Poetry Collection ‘Prikriticho Paas’, Dr T M A Pai Foundation Best Konkani Book Award - 2009' for the bookPrikriticho Paas’, Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy Honourary Award for Literature – 2006, Konkani Kuttam Bahrain Award (2006).
Melvyn was the President of the 24th All India Konkani Sahitya Sammelan held in Canacona, Goa in the year 2019 and is the Vice-President of All India Konkani Parishad. He is also a Trustee of the Konkani Language and Cultural Foundation.
In the meanwhile, Madhav Kaushik from Haryana has been elected as the president of Sahitya Akademi and Dr. Kusum Sharma from Delhi as the Vice-President. Elections for the Advisory Board Conveners of various languages recognized under the 8th schedule of the constitution were held during the day. Sahitya Akademi awards will be bestowed later in the day and the week-long festival of letters will continue.
