Mangalore: Kasaragod Chinna, president of Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy, made the presentation of ‘Kalakar’ award to James Lopez in a ceremony organised for the 7th year by Thomas Steven’s Konkani (TSK) Centre, Carvalho Gharane(school), with Mandd Sobhann of Shaktinagar, in city on Sunday. The award had a citation, a shawl, memento, and Rs25,000.

Lopez belongs to Theresa Brass Band of Honnavar. He told the audience that he would cherish the award to inspire him in his work further on.

Chinna lauded Eric Ozario’s band of Mandd Sobhann for its good work in music and songs on stage. He referred to Konkani as the only language in the world spoken by 42 communities on the West Coast of India, and he had served it for 3 decades lovingly.

There was ample scope for Konkani to develop in these 42 streams of art, with an emotion based on unity, he added.

Fr. Prathap Nayak of the T.S.K. Centre also spoke on the significance of the award instituted by his family. He released a research work on Konkani books in Kannada script from 1858 to 2010. Arun Rodrigues compered the event.

A play ‘Eksury Bayl’(lonely Wife) was enacted on the occasion for 2 hours, with a ‘Neenasam’ touch.