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Hoon Khabbar Congratulations:

PANDURANG NAYAK of Spring, TX started a franchise business of Hawaiian cuisine, “Lemon Shark Poke”, in Spring, TX on June 26, 2019. Lemon Shark Poke is a Hawaiian Cuisine and make Sushi bowls. The restaurant has other items for non-sushi lovers as well. The restaurant is located at 2120 Spring Stuebner Road #610 Spring TX 77389. SNEHA and her team placed 1st in the National/Global HOSA (Healthcare) Leadership competition in June 2019. It was held in Disney World Convention center in Orlando. It is a great moment for the family, the school, the city and the state! There were over 11000 competitors competing from all 50 states and several countries. Sneha is d/o Sunil & Sandhya Shenoy of Spring, TX. Dr. RITA GOLIKERI WOOD, d/o Ranjana & Sudhir Golikeri of Richmond, TX completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology in June 2019 from John Peter Smith hospital in Fort Worth, Texas. Rita will join the 8th Avenue Obstetrics and Gynecology group in Fort Worth in September 2019.

Konkani Graduates: Dr. ADITYA J. ULLAL, of Milpitas, CA s/o Jathin & Vidya Ullal graduated with MD from Stanford University with distinction in rotations. He started a 3-year residency in Internal Medicine at Stanford Health Hospital. SWATHI, younger daughter of Subhas & Prabha Kamath, Las Vegas, NV graduated from the School of Engineering at University of California Los

Angeles (UCLA) with B.S in Bioengineering on 15th June 2019. Swathi has since joined Genentech (Roche Group) at its San Francisco HQ as Intern-Pharma Informatics. ATUL, s/o Pandurang & Jayanthi Nayak of Spring, TX graduated from University of Texas at Austin, TX with High Honors and a 3.95 GPA average. He majored in Chemical Engineering and minored in Business and Computers. He will join Capital Bank in Dallas, TX this August. RITWIK, s/o Indira (Haridas) & (Late) Prakash Keshav of Simi Valley, CA, completed his Masters in Sciences in 2018 at Keck Graduate Institute (Claremont Colleges) in Claremont, CA. He worked in Genentech for one year. Now he will start his Medical School at University of Arizona, Phoenix in Aug. 2019. PRIYA, d/o Amar & Anita (Karnad) Rajan of Camarillo, CA, has been accepted at University of California, Riverside Medical School. She worked as a Management Consultant, completed her postbacc at Harvard University in 2018. . She worked in the ER and with an Ophthalmologist in Boston. She starts her medical school in Aug. 2019. CHETAN, s/o Girijanand & Jyothi Bhat of Loma Linda, CA, graduated from the Case Western School of Medicine with MD degree. He is starting his residency in Psychiatry at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, CA. DIVYA, d/o Arun & Deepa Rao of Cupertino, CA graduated from Cupertino High School in June 2019. In addition to her academic

accomplishments, Divya is a talented drummer and enthusiastic competitive swimmer and has studied ballet for 14 years. She has been an enthusiastic participant at KAOCA programs, and has won several dance awards at Konkani Sammelans. Divya will be attending the Computer Science program at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA this Fall. VARUN, s/o Narendra & Shaila Shenoy of Cupertino, CA graduated from Cupertino HS and will be attending Stanford University this Fall. He will be pursuing his undergraduate studies in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. Varun is an Eagle Scout and has a passion for building apps and doing research. His current apps on the app store have more than 20,000 downloads worldwide. He was a WWDC scholarship recipient in 2016, 2017 and 2018. He won the ‘Young Innovator to Watch’ out for award in 2018 at CES. SONALI, d/o Sridhar & Kiran Chellappa of San Jose, CA , will be starting as an Undergraduate at UC Irvine's Honors Program in Cognitive Science this Fall. She is the recipient of the President's Silver Award in Volunteering and Seal of Biliteracy. She has been working as a Content Curator at CK-12 Foundation, she started out as a full time summer intern in 2018 and has been working part time since the beginning of her senior year and successfully handled both school and internship pressure. NITIKA, d/o Sridhar & Kiran Chellappa of San Jose, CA , graduated from UCLA this summer with a degree in Bio-

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Medical Engineering. Nitika will be pursuing her Masters in Translational Medicine in a joint program between UC Berkeley and UCSF Hospital.

New Arrival: SAI, a baby boy born on August 19, 2019 in San Diego CA to Ashvin & Casie Shenoy of San Diego, CA. A brother to big brother Shay. The proud paternal grandparents are Basti Ganapathi & Gayathri Shenoy of Las Vegas, NV & the proud maternal grandparents are Chuck & Diana Schedel of Great Falls MT.

Relocation: The NAYAK family, PANDURANG & JAYANTHI have moved from Katy, TX to 21525 Spring Plaza Dr. Apt #5110, Spring, TX 77388. The email ID: nayak.pandu@gmail.com. The BHAT-RAMAN family, Vindya Bhat & Sridharan Raman, together with their daughters, Daana & Selma, have relocated within NYC to 300 Mercer Street, #24D, New York, NY 10003. The email is: vindya.bhat@gmail.com

Bharatanatyam Arangetram:

Kum. SNEHA, d/o Sunil & Sandhya Shenoy of Spring, TX had her Bharatanatyam Arangetram (a classical Indian

Dance Debut) on Saturday August 10th, 2019 at Kaplan Theatre, Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center in Houston, TX. She is the disciple of Guru Smt. Padmini Chari, director of Nritya School of Dance, Houston, TX.

Newlyweds: Chi. SHUBIR, s/o Nikil & Sujata Dutt, of Irvine, CA, got married to Sow. WHITNEY STEWART in San Diego. The reception was held in Buena Park, CA on May 18, 2019. Chi. AMOL, s/o Aravind & Beena Shenoy, of Granada Hills, CA, got married to Sow. DIVYA, d/o Drs. Radhakrishna & Mithra Baliga of Shreveport, LA, on June 15, 2019 in beautiful Marina Del Rey.

50th Wedding Anniversary:

The NAYAKs, VASUDEV & JYOTI, celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary with family and friends on Saturday July 27, 2019 from 7:00 p.m. till 10:30 p.m. at Hope Lodge in Cypress, TX.

75th Birthday Bash: Friends and families threw a surprise 75th birthday party to Dr. ASHWIN BHATT of Houston, TX on Saturday August 3rd 2019

at Ashiana Indian Restaurant in Houston, TX.

95th Birthday Bash: Friends and families threw a 95th birthday party to Dr. R. R. V. SHENOY of Bayside, NY on Saturday July 27th 2019 at his residence. Highlights of the event can be seen on YouTube LINK of VIDEO that Dr. N. R. Kamath took at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVwkQMspPR4&feature=youtu.be

Obituary:

Sri. BALKUNJE VENKATESH SHENOY (83) of Mumbai (retired from Larsen & Tubro) passed away in Mumbai in January 2019. Khabbar sends heartfelt condolences to his wife, Manorama, son Sandeep & family of Los Angeles, CA, and daughter Rekha Baliga & family of Cupertino, CA Dr. SUBRAMANYA BALIGA (91) Fremont, CA passed away peacefully in Fremont, CA in February 2019. Khabbar sends heartfelt condolences to his wife, Chitra, son Sunil & family of Cupertino, CA, daughter Sujata Kamath & family of Fremont, CA.

Konkani Happenings Houston Area Amchigale Samaj (HAAS) held a Musical Night “Disco se Dandiya tak” on Saturday June 22nd at Sugar Land Community Center in Sugar Land, TX. Konkani Association Of California (KAOCA) held their annual Camping & Picnic from July 26th thru 28th at Little Basin at Boulder Creek, CA The Saraswat Foundation held their annual summer picnic on Saturday August 3 at 10:00 AM at the Reichler Park in South Brunswick Township, NJ. American Midwest Konkani Association (AMKA) held their annual picnic on Saturday August 10th, 2019 at Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve, Naperville.

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Konkani Association of Southern California (KASC) held their annual picnic on Sunday, Aug 25th, 2019 at Eaton Blanche Park in Pasadena, CA 91107 from 12:00 pm till Evening. The family Style Potluck food with BHEL, CHAI and Drinks was enjoyed by one and all. Lots of fun games and activities were conducted. Konkani Association of Southern California (KASC) held their annual picnic on Sunday August 25th at Eaton Blanche Park in Pasadena, CA Seattle Washington Amchigale Samaj (SWAS) participated in the Hike Day on Sunday August 18th at the Twin Falls of Olallie State Park in North Bend, WA. Dallas Fort Worth Konkani Samaj (DFWKS) Highlights from our Ganeshotsav event beautifully put together by Puneet Rao. Would love Houston, Austin and other near by cities to join us next time. It was really really FUN while celebrating our traditions. Amazing food for Ganpati bappa and all of us - authentic Konkani food, traditional naivedya, cultural programs ( Bharatnatyam performance, group dances, singing) , games, fun moments , and visarjan amid music, dhol , jagantha and shankh (conch), and dance - full on masti! Kudos to the team lead by Pai Rekha ( Event Lead), Akshata Pai ( Cultural lead), Navaneetha Shenoy Bhat ( Games Lead), and Supriya Pai ( Food team lead). It was so efficient we only had to enjoy the event. Many thanks to all our sponsors, volunteers and samaj members who helped make this event a Success.

Ladies of Houston Area Amchigale Samaj (HAAS) celebrate Chudi Pooja Shraavana Mahina 2019 was ushered in great style by the ladies of HAAS. The festival unique to Konkanis  –"Chudi Puja” was celebrated by    the  ladies of HAAS with great pomp and vigor.    It was  indeed an  impressive sea of color with  the ladies  decked  in  traditional  sarees  of  various  colors,  styles  and  hues  carrying  chudis  or  bouquets  of  dibrankur    and flowers meticulously gathered and tied in bundles. Some of the ladies were even sporting 9 yard or “Navara” sarees!  

 Guests cooled off  from the hot Houston sun by drinking cold homemade panak. The  traditional  lamp was  lit by Vice  president  Shobha  Shenoy  who  then  delivered  a warm welcome  address.  Rivan  and Natanya  Dominitz followed by presenting a very insightful discourse on the significance of Chudi Puja.   The  Puja  then  started  off  in  earnest  with  Secretary Maya Prabhu directing the steps of the Puja for benefit of  those  new  to  the  celebration.  Chudis  were  then exchanged and blessings sought from senior ladies .   Food  committee  Coordinator  Prathima  Shenoy  then 

presented  to everyone’s delight,  the menu of mouth‐watering dishes,  lovingly prepared by Committee members and generous volunteers.    Vote  of  thanks  delivered  by  Treasurer Neela Kamath was as follows:   Junior  volunteers‐  Rivan  and  Natanya Dominitz for their untiring help  in various activities  of  the  celebration,  Shobha Shenoy  for  planning  and  executing  the decorations  assisted  by  Shanthi  and Ravindra  Pai,  Sneha  and Ashwin  Prabhu and  Maya  and  Ramkrishna  Prabhu,  Sneha Prabhu  for Rangoli Art decoration, Vasumathiakka  and   Akhila Bhat  for  the God  Phova,    Prabha Malya  and  Shobha 

Shenoy for Lhayi Panchakajjayi, Shobha Shenoy for the Panak, and fresh cut mangoes, Didi Baliga and Prabha Pai for the  Carrot  salad, Neela  Kamath  and  Prathima  Shenoy  for  the  idlis,  Shanthi  Pai  and Maya  Prabhu  for  the  Sambar, 

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Pratibha Pai  and Prathima  Shenoy  for  the  chutney, Ranjana Golikeri  and Namitha Nayak  for  the  Lemon  rice,  Jyoti Nayak and Madhuri Bhedre for the Quinoa Pulav, Ranjana Golikere for the special “signature” nonche, Seema Bhat for Rasmalai and the “surprise item” (dahi vada), Gauri Sirur and Chaya Ubhayakar for the Phanna tak (masala buttermilk), Prabha Prabhu and Deepa Karkal and all others who spontaneously brought extra dishes for the luncheon, Dr. Vasudev Shenoy for video‐taping the event.   Many  thanks  to  unnamed  volunteers who may  have  been missed  in  the  list  above  and  all  those who  attended  to support and keep this cherished Konkani tradition alive.   Those who were  not  able  to make  it were  sorely missed  and were  hoped  to  be  present  at  the  upcoming  Diwali Celebration!  Thanks  HAAS Management Committee www.ourhaas.com 

Suresh Nayalkar (1939 to 2019) SURESH NAYALKAR of Sugar Land, TX was born January 23, 1939, and departed this earthly life on July 16, 2019 on the auspicious day of Guru Purnima. In his eighty years, he lived a full life with many adventures. Born in Bombay, he grew up the eldest of six kids in a bustling household. An avid sportsman in his youth, he played cricket and table tennis in addition to other athletics. His name once appeared in the Times of India for scoring a century in the Times Shield tournament. In one of the local table tennis tournaments, he upset the then India number one player. With his mechanical engineering degree in hand and a new bride, he made his way first to Canada and later to the United States, where his two children and four grandchildren were born. He switched fields, enjoying a long and successful career in software engineering, and he developed a passion for Hindustan music and playing the harmonium. He was known as the friendliest and most helpful person, and one of his greatest pleasures was cultivating close ties to many friends and extended family

around the globe. He has touched many lives and will be deeply missed always. Khabbar sends heartfelt condolences to his wife, Jyoti, and the families of his son and daughter in the US.

Capt. Dr. T. Narayan Nayak (1940 to 2019)

Capt. Dr. T. NARAYAN NAYAK (79) of Pittsburgh, PA passed away peacefully at his home in Shambhavinagar in Karkala, India on Aug 11, 2019. He had served in the Indian military for 5 years. He was stationed in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ferozpur and the border area of Ladakh. After that duty, he moved to the US for higher studies to become a Nuero-surgeon. He lived and practiced in the US for 45years and moved back to India 5 years ago. Khabbar sends heartfelt condolences to the families of his son and daughter in the US.

Padma Bhushan Dr. Girish Karnad – A Tribute Celebrated Scholar, Playwright, Thespian, Director and Thinker

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As published in the July 2019 edition of Kanara Saraswat Girish Karnad, one of the greatest literary figures of Indian literature passed away on 10th June 2019 at the age of 81 in Bengaluru. A Rhodes Scholar, he won fame as a Playwright, translator, film director and actor and screenplay writer. His career spanned over five decades. Girish Karnad, a man of unquestionable integrity, was known for his commitment to freedom of expression. He is survived by wife Dr Saraswathy Ganapathy and children Raghu Karnad and Shalmali Radha. He was the Director of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune, Director of the Nehru Centre in London and Chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. He won multiple awards in both theatre and cinema. He was a recipient of the 1998 Jnanpith Award, the highest literary honour conferred in India. The Indian Government also awarded him the Padma Bhushan. Girish Karnad was born in Matheran, in present day Maharashtra, in 1938 to Krishnabai (née Mankikar) and Dr. Raghunath Karnad. His initial schooling was in Marathi and later in Kannada. In Sirsi, Karnataka, he was exposed to travelling theatre groups and Natak Mandalis as his parents were deeply interested in the plays of the iconic Balgandharva era. As a youngster, he was an ardent admirer of Yakshagana and the theater in his village. His family moved to Dharwad in Karnataka when he was fourteen, where he grew up with his two sisters and a niece. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics and Statistics from Karnatak Arts College, Dharwad (Karnataka University). Being very keen to study abroad, after graduation, he went to England and studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Magdalen in Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar (1960–63), earning his Master of Arts degree in all the three subjects. Karnad was elected the President of the Oxford Union in 1962–63. After coming back to India Girish Karnad wrote his first play Yayati at the age of 23 in 1961. For four decades he composed plays writing in Kannada. He also translated his plays into English. His plays have been translated into some Indian languages and directed by famous directors like Ebrahim Alkazi, B. V. Karanth, Alyque Padamsee, Satyadev Dubey and Vijaya Mehta to name a few. Karnad’s famous plays include Tughlaq, Hayavadana, Angumalige, Hittina Hunja, Naga-Mandala, Tale-Danda , Agni Mattu Male and The Dreams of Tipu Sultan. Karnad’s ‘Tughlaq’ has emerged as a modern classic in the history of contemporary Indian theatre. He explored mythology and history with the vision of a modernist, resulting in the creation of great theatrical works. He was active in the world of Hindi and Kannada cinema as well, working as an actor, director and screenwriter, and has earned awards. He won four Filmfare Awards, of which three are for Best Director – Kannada and the fourth a Filmfare Best Screenplay Award. He was a presenter for a weekly science magazine programme called “Turning Point” that aired on Doordarshan in 1991. He made his movie and screenwriting debut with the adaptation of U R Ananthmurthy’s seminal Kannada novel ‘Samskara’ in 1970. The film won the President’s Gold Medal in 1971. As an actor he played a diverse fare of roles. He ventured into the parallel cinema movement of the ‘70s with the Shyam Benegal-directed Nishant and Manthan. He played the lead role in Basu Chatterjee’s Swami opposite Shabana Azmi. Karnad played Swami’s father in the TV adaptation of R K Narayan’s Malgudi Days. As a director, he helmed Kannada films such as Vamsha Vriksha, Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane, Ondanondu Kaladalli, Kanooru Heggadithi and Hindi films Godhuli and Utsav. As the chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi, he was the brain behind organising Nehru Shatabdi Natya Samaroh in 1989 in Delhi which was planned as a retrospective of modern Indian theatre. It was truly a great Indian theatre festival in which dramatic masterpieces were featured under the directions of Indian theatre legends like Utpal Dutt. It was Karnad’s idea that young theatre practitioners and audience should watch great productions staged in the course of the last five decades. As a public speaker and activist, he raised his voice for saving the secular fabric, freedom of expression and composite culture. Despite all he had achieved Girish Karnad encouraged discussion and dissent. One of his friends’ remarks, “He let the younger generation evolve, indulged them, allowed them to question, fight with them, criticize them… that was a different journey.” He goes on to say, “When people such as Karnad depart the world, you must thank them for living a life that empowered, inspired and even instigated at times. They have left you with moments you cherish; they leave you a different person.” But it was the identity as a playwright that he most associated with, often drawing from the rich mythological and historical legacy of the country to weave stories about current sociopolitical issues. Indeed, that is how he will be best remembered for the years to come!

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2019 Konkani Young Adult Convention Written by Priya Sorab In continuation with traditions set in previous years, a Konkani Young Adult Convention was held in 2019. This year’s event was held in Chicago between June 21-23, 2019. There were between 40 and 50 attendees, ranging in age from 20 to 33. The convention provided an opportunity for Konkani youth from various states to connect over shared heritage and cultural background, meet new friends, and also delve further into their Konkani roots. The event commenced with an informal icebreaker and dinner on the evening of June 21st. Several attendees had been to prior conventions in 2016 and 2018 and enjoyed meeting their friends again. However, for multiple individuals, this was their first time at such an event. After icebreakers, the leaders conducted a Konkani Focus Group, with topics formulated with the help of Mr. Sadanand Mankikar of Toronto, ON. Points of discussion included Konkani culture and its role in attendees’

lives, as well as avenues to maintain it. Later in the evening, the Director of Carrier Sales at Uber Freight gave attendees a speech regarding career building. It was inspirational and had principles applicable to several fields.

The convention continued into the weekend. Attendees explored the city of Chicago and took an architectural boat cruise. A formal dinner banquet was held on Saturday night, and the event concluded with brunch on Sunday. Throughout the event, attendees got the

opportunity interact with and learn more about each other. There were students and professionals from several fields, such as medicine, engineering, and economics. The wide age range ensured that mentor-mentee relationships could be formed. Furthermore, there was significant diversity among attendees; several were born and raised in the US, but many attendees were from various states in India. The convention represented a meshwork of backgrounds and viewpoints, amidst the framework of a shared Konkani culture. Furthermore, the event served as a

springboard for the marketing of the 2020 Sammelan to be held in California. Pictured is the leadership team. Left to Right: Sarvesh Baliga, Anissa Nashikkar, Priya Sorab, Ro Golikeri, Pratik Keni, Ajay Prabhu The event was funded with gracious donations from several donors, financial support from the North American Konkani Association, and with contributions from each attendee. For questions or concerns, please contact Priya (sorabpt@mail.uc.edu)

Congratulations to Mr. ATUL PAI on his successful Research A FaceBook post

Congratulations to Mr. Atul Pai on his Successful Research. His research will help the Indian defense force in reducing the weight of war weapons. Defense Minister and ISRO has appreciated this research project. Now, the Goa Government has agreed to give 2 acres of land for the implementation of this project. Ratnakar Pai (Pai Sales Mangalore) and Sujatha Pai are the proud parents of Atul Pai. After completing his Schooling and PU from Canara Institutions in Mangalore, Atul went to Manipal for his graduation in Mechanical Engineering. Prior to this project approval, Atul was working with TATA Power Solar Company in Delhi. Best Wishes to Atul Pai.

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Dr. Renuka Nayak, winner of Perstein Award Submitted by: rajendranayak@earthlink.net https://medschool.ucsf.edu/legacy-irene-holmes-perstein-lives-through-innovative-research-two-outstanding-school-medicine The Legacy of Irene Holmes Perstein Lives on Through the Innovative Research of Two Outstanding School of Medicine Faculty Members By Lesley Snyder When Irene Holmes Perstein died in 1995, she left a bequest to provide annual awards to outstanding fulltime, junior women faculty members of the UCSF School of Medicine. Since 2007, the School of Medicine Perstein Awards have supported women faculty members, appointed at the assistant professor rank, who are expected to develop high caliber independent research programs in basic, clinical, or translational science. The highly competitive awards are based on criteria including the novelty and innovation of the science, and the potential impact on human health. 2019 Irene Perstein Award Winners-One of the two winners is Dr. Renuka Nayak Renuka Nayak, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in the UCSF Department of Medicine, is a physician-scientist dedicated to advancing the care and treatment of patients with rheumatologic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriatic arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases. Dr. Nayak came to UCSF for residency training in Internal Medicine and stayed for a fellowship in Rheumatology, because of “UCSF’s collaborative environment and clinical rigor, built on a strong scientific research foundation.” Dr. Nayak uses her unique backgrounds in biology, computer science, and clinical rheumatology to investigate the role of the human gut microbiome in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. She uses an innovative combination of patient specimens, microbiology, next generation sequencing, and gnotobiotic mouse models to better understand how our microbiome, which many consider our "second genome," influences health and disease. Questions on the role of the microbiome in human health abound: What are the trillions of microorganisms in our gut doing? Are they contributing to or helping prevent disease? And how are they impacting treatment? And does that explain why some patients respond well to treatment whereas others do not? These are some of the questions Dr. Nayak’s research seeks to answer. “There is profound potential for the microbiome to impact treatment response,” said Dr. Nayak. “It would be great for more people to be asking these questions when treating patients. It might help us predict what patients will or won’t respond to treatment, and what drugs we could offer patients based on their gut microbiome.” As one of the few female MD-PhDs with a degree in computer science, Dr. Nayak is no stranger to being under-represented in her chosen field. She is committed to the advancement of women in basic science and has spearheaded initiatives to foster community and network-building among physician-scientists performing bench research at UCSF

Konkani Lad with Bantwal roots set for Furnetto International Comics Fest TNN | Mar 23, 2019, 04.00 AM IST 

Mangaluru: A Konkani lad with Bantwal roots who flourished far away in the state capital by cultivating his artistic talent at Chitrakala Parishat, Bengaluru, is set to exhibit his talent with friend Mohit Mahanto at the prestigious Fumetto International Comics Festival to be held at Lucerne, Switzerland, from April 4 to 16. Meet Anand Shenoy Basti, grandson of Basti Vaman Shenoy, president, World Konkani Centre, Mangaluru. One of the 15‐odd Indian comic artists who have been invited to Fumetto, Anand will be part of two panel discussions pertaining to emerging comics’ scenario in India. A graduate of fine arts from the College of Fine Arts (CFA), Chitrakala Parishath, Bengaluru, Anand and Mohit will also be displaying their works at ‘Mytholitics India’ exhibition of the festival. He and Mohit, his senior at CFA, have started Pagal Canvas, a collective of comic artists.  

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An elated Anand told TOI over phone from Delhi that it has been a dream come true to get an invite to the Fumetto Festival. “It is a global gathering of illustrators and comic’ artists from across the world,” Anand said, adding the festival has talks and demonstrations delivered by invited artists and illustrators, who will share their experience in the field of comics. “It will be a learning curve for me and Mohit, who are eagerly looking forward to be at the festival,” he said.  A regular on the ‘Indie Comix Fest’ circuit held across India, Anand said leading names in the Indian comics scene such as The Kadak collective, a self‐proclaimed library of travelling zines, Blue Jackal, a platform for engaging with and creating visual narratives, comics, picture books and individual names such as Bengaluru‐based Renuka Rajiv and one of India’s foremost graphic artists and designers, Orijit Sen, too will be at the festival.  Incidentally, the duo under Pagal Canvas has published over 25 comic books in the last two years. Anand showed his talent at an early age when he won the Pogo Amazing Kids Award under artists’ category, in 2008. He was 12 then. Now, a veteran of sorts in the field of comics publishing, Anand, the son of filmmaker Dinesh Shenoy Basti, currently lives and practices in Delhi. Mohit was his batch mate at CFA where the duo pursued their BVA degree.  About the festival The Fumetto International Comics Festival is held annually at Lucerne. Established in 1992 as the Luzern Comix Festival, the festival before growing in size, renamed itself in 2003. It has helped Switzerland’s comics community unify and grow, crossing the divide between differing language barriers within the country. The festival attracts both national and international guests. Comics creators honoured or exhibited at the festival include Joe Sacco, Marjane Satrapi, Chris Ware, Jack Kirby and Lewis Trondheim. 

KHABBAR FROM KULAR By: - Vishwa Konkani Sardar BASTI VAMAN SHENOY

Mangaluru University, Deralakatte, Mudipu: Prof. Subramanya Yadapadithaya has taken charge as Vice Chancellor of the University on 1-06-2019. The University has started Konkani Chair (Konkani Adhyayana Pitha) to promote Research and Documentation in Konkani. Late H.H. Sri Sudheendra Thirtha Swamijis Sanyas Deeksha Sweekara Amrutha Mahotsava Programme: Late H.H.Sri Sudheendra Thirtha Swamiji Sanyas Deeksha Sweekara ‘Amrutha Mahotsava’ Programmes held from 2-06-2019 to 6-06-2019 at Sri Vyashashrama Haridwar. More than 5000 disciples coming from throughout India and abroad attended. Girish Karnad Passes away: World famous Dramartist, director and writer and Jnanapitha Awardee, Padmabhushan Sri Girish Karnad expired on 10-6-2019 at his residence in Bengaluru. Vhokal Singarche (Konkani bride) training Programme: Konkani bridle training Programme was held at World Konkani Centre on 14-06-2019 for Konkani ladies and college students. Research on Konkani Bala Sahitya : Dr. Padma Baliga handed over her Research papers on Konkani Bala Sahitya (Childrens literature) to Mr. Basti Vaman Shenoy, Founder President, World Konkani Centre on 19th June 2019. The assignment was given to Dr. Baliga under World Konkani Research and Documentation project. KSHAMATA UGetin : KSHAMATA UGetin Training Camp for ‘Kshamata UGetin Diamonds’ students from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada district colleges (total 63 students) was held for 18 days from 3-06-2019 to 21-06-2019at World Konkani Centre, Shaktinagar, Mangaluru. The Valedictory programme of ‘Kshamata UGetin Diamonds’ was held on 21-06-2019 at World Konkani Centre. The sponsor Mr. Ullas Kamath, Managing Director and CEO, Jyothi Laboratories, Ujala, Mumbai was present and gave the KEYNOTE address to the students. Vidyakalapaka Scholarships &“KSHITIJ” Training Camp: Philanthropist C.A. Nandagopal Shenoy is the, founder of VIDYAKALPAKA Scholarships for GSB students to attain graduation. The beneficiaries were given 3days KSHAMATA Training “Kshitij” Camp for 1st level held on 24-06-2019 to

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26-06-2019 at World Konkani Centre. Mr. Sushil Shenoy, Former Chief Managing Director ONGC Petro Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. gave the keynote address. Vidyakalpaka “Kshitij” 2nd level Camp held on 28-06-2019 to 30-06-2019at World Konkani Centre. Sri Gokuldas Pai, General Manager, Karnataka Bank Ltd was the Chief Guest. Mrs. Vatika Pai, Chairman, Nirmala Travels, Mangaluru and DR. Uday Kumar Shenoy, Social worker, Nitte Education Trust were the Guests of Honour. Mr. Basti Vaman Shenoy, Founder President, World Konkani Centre was presided over the function. Vishwa Konkani Stree Shakti Mission: Vishw Konkani Stree Shakti Mission Valedictory of 5th batch of tailoring classes for economically backward Konkani ladies and college students was held on 29th June 2019. Mrs. Veena Subhas Shanbhogue Social worker, Dubai presided and Eminent Advocate Mrs. Anitha Kini, Mangaluru was the Chief Guest. Mr. Basti Vaman Shenoy, Founder President gave the keynote address. Since 3 years Mrs. Geetha C. Kini, Chief Convener of Vishwa Konkani Stree Shakti Mission gives training in tailoring to Konkani ladies and college students about 500 ladies have given training and 15 Sewing Machines are given free to economically backward Konkani ladies. ‘Vikari Nama Sanvasara’ Chatrurmasa of H.H.Swamijis: Sri Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Muth H.H. Srimad Vidyadhiraja Thirtha Vader Swamiji’s Chaturmasa Vruta at Sri Joshi Muth, Badarinath. H.H. Srimad Samyameendra Thirtha Swamiji of Sri Samsthan Kashi Muth ‘Chaturmasa is being held at Sri Muralidhara Krishna Mukhyaprana Temple, Kota, Sri Kashi Muth. H.H.Srimad Shivananda Saraswathi Swamiji of Kavle Muth Samsthan ‘Chaturmasa at Shree Kavale Math, Kavalem, Ponda, Goa . H.H.Sadyojata Shankarashrama Swamiji of Chitrapur Muth Chaturmasa at Shirali, Chitrapur Mutt. Kudpi Madhav Shenoy expired: Managing Partner of Hotel Tajmahal, Mangaluru Mr. Kudpi Madhav Shenoy (80 years) expired on 12-07-2019 ‘KSHAMATA’ training Camps : “KSHAMATA” - (Konkani Students Higher Achievement Motivation and Training Academy) Training programmes to Engineering and Medical students total 6 batches camps were held at World Konkani Centre from 7-07-2019 to 22-07-2019. ‘Konkani Saurabha’ : G.S.B. Seva Sangh, C.V.Nayak Hall, Kadri organized ‘Konkani Saurabha’ –Konkani story and Quiz competitions in association with World Konkani Centre, Shaktinagar and Kodial Khabar, Konkani Fortnightly Mangaluru to the students were held at C.V.Nayak Hall, Kadri, Mangaluru on 20-07-2019 History of Konkani Theatre : History of Konkani Theatre Documentation work was submitted to Mr. Basti Vaman Shenoy, Founder President, World Konkani Centre, on 16-08-2019 by Sri Pundalik N. Naik and Sri Hanumanth Chopdekar , Goa at WKC. Sri Krishna Janmashtami Celebrations: Konkani Sanskritika Sangha in association with World Konkani Centre, Shaktinagar Organised Sri Krishna Janmashtami Celebrations on 17-08-2019 at B.E.M High School, Carstreet, Mangaluru The Grand Vishwa Konkani Alumni Reunion-2019 Vishwa Konkani Alumni Association’ members arranged a One Day Programme (The Grand Alumni Reunion) of Vishwa Konkani Students Scholarship Fund Past and Present members held on 24th August 2019 Saturday at T.V.Raman Pai Convention Hall, Mangaluru. Vishwa Konkani Students Scholarships Decennial Ceremony-2019: Vishwa Konkani Students Scholarship Fund, Vishwa Konkani Kendra distributed scholarships worth Rs 3.5 crore to students from the Konkani community in a ceremony held at TV Raman Pai Convention Centre Mangaluru on August 25, which also marked the decennial year celebration. Smt. Vasanthi Ramadas Pai, Trustee of Manipal Academy of higher education, inaugurated the scholarship distribution programme. Addressing the gathering, Vasanthi Ramadas Pai said, "It is a privilege to be part of this programme where scholarships are distributed to the students as some or the others are coming forward to help the students for their higher education. Konkani philanthropist and Chief Promoter T V Mohandas

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Pai said, "Ten years ago I had a dream to provide higher education to our community students and wanted to see our community as a global dominating community. We belong to a minority community. We are in a sense of fear whether our culture and language will exist or not in the future. Language can unite us. Other than scholarship distribution, we have a great training programme ‘Kshamatha’, where the students can get connected to the society and build that bonding. Kshamatha is a best transformation initiative programme. In the next 10 years I wish to see 5000 youths pursue their masters PHD globally.” Mangaluru South MLA Vedavyas Kamath said, "The hard work and dedication put up by VKSSF for the last 10 years in distributing scholarships for the students is really commendable. In the last 10 years, more than Rs 21 crore is distributed to more than 22,000 students.” Meanwhile President of Vishwa Konkani Alumni association Nirosh Kumari handed over a cheque of Rs 35 lac to Vishwa Konkani student scholarship fund. (Last year Alumni association had donated Rs 18 lac). President, World Konkani Centre, Basti Vaman Shenoy welcomed the gathering, Mrs. Smitha Shenoy compered the events and World Konkani Centre Secretary Mrs. Shakuntala R.Kini proposed the vote of thanks. Vishwa Konkani Student Scholarship Fund (VKSSF) envisages grant of Merit Cum Means scholarships for students having Konkani language as their mother tongue. Instituted by the Mangaluru-based World Konkani Centre in the year 2010 as envisioned by the eminent visionary and corporate leader T V Mohandas Pai, the VKSSF has since then successfully raised and distributed over 22,000 scholarships to the tune of Rs 21.40 crore. This includes donations from KONKANI CHARITABLE FUND INC, North America. Vishwa Konkani Student Scholarship Fund presently has several scholarship Programmes. The flagship programme being the Engineering and MBBS Scholarships with a scholarship amount of Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000 per year per student respectively. These rates have been increased this year from previous Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000. VKSSF has awarded 4730 engineering and MBBS scholarships since 2010. This year too VKSSF will support the professional education quest of 589 engineering and 53 MBBS scholars. VKSSF also has a ‘Study Abroad’ scholarship for higher education in foreign Universities, with scholarship amount of Rs one Lac per year per student. Since 2010 VKSSF has awarded 120 Scholarships under this programme and 36 Scholarships will be awarded this year under this category. KSHAMATA is a programme under VKSSF which is a development model for all scholarship participants to accomplish with an end result of personal growth, leadership development, and a greater appreciation for the Konkani society in particular and global society in general. Since its inception, KSHAMATA academy has imparted more than 34858 man days of trainings in various formats. Konkani Manyathay Diwas Celebrations: Konkani Sanskritika Sangha in association with World Konkani Centre, Shaktinagar, organised ‘Konkani Manyathay Diwas’ Celebrations held on 25-08-2019 at Sri Sudheendra Sabhagraha, Canara High School, Dongerkery, Mangaluru Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Karnataka in association with World Konkani Centre, Shaktinagar, organised ‘Konkani Manyathay Diwas’ Celebrations held on 30-08-2019 at ‘UTSAV’ Auditorium, Mangaluru. Mr. Basti Vaman Shenoy Inaugurated the programme. Konkani movement leader Mr. Paul Moras, Dr. K. Mohan Pai, Convener,Vishwa Konkani Education in School, Mr. C.A. Nandagopal Shenoy, Chairman VIDYAKALPAKA Scholarships, Mr. Roy Castelino Former President of Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy, Mr. Gokuldas Prabhu, former President, All India Konkani Parishad, Mr. Melvyn Rodrigues renowned Poet, Mrs. Shakuntala R.Kini, Secretary Vishwa Konkani Kendra, Mr. M.R.Kamath Vice President, Konkani Bhasha Mandal and other dignitaries were present during the function. Mr. Venkatesh N.Baliga, President Konkani Bhasha Mandal welcomed the gathering.