Ravindra Kelekar - Jnanpith Award - And what is really means?

Shri Ravindra Kelekar - Jnanpith Award - And what it really means?

December 2, 2008


Shri Ravindra Kelekar has been bestowed the Jnanpith Award for 2006 in November 2008. This event marks an important time for the Konkani Language.

Inspite of Konkani being recognised as an official language by the Indian Constitution, the Jnanpith Award had been elusive to the Konkani authors of this age. However Shri Kelekar has finally managed to break that jinx. The elusiveness of the award has ofcourse nothing to do with the standard of konkani literature that is abound today (or is it not?). Ofcourse when we compare the amount and standard of Konkani literature compared to say the other great languages of India, like Kannada and Hindi, there is a real lot to catch up there.

However, what this one event has achieved is great. It now moves Konkani into the bigger league. Its a sort of silent promotion so to say. This event has been a shot in the arms for the existing Konkani authors. Most of them young and ambitious. They now know that the sky is the limit for them.

I hereby take great pleasure to congratulate Shri Ravindra Kelekar again.


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