Mangalore: A two day seminar was inaugurated by Goan Konkani writer and advocate, Uday Bembre, this morning (Oct.2) at the Konkani – gaon location of Vishwa Konkani Kendra in Shaktinagar, a fast developing suburb of Mangalore city. In his keynote address, the dedicated Konkani thinker Bembre stated that our new generations need to know convincingly of the ethos for which Sri Rama and Veer Hanuman stood in olden times (Treta Yuga). The children have to imbibe this ethos in their lives, he stressed. Nagas, revered as gods now (Nag-Devata), could be a tribe living in those ancient times and elevated to divine levels, he added. A lot of research work has to be done on Ramayana in Konkani but the work has started and is gaining speed presently.

Dr. H. Shantharam, President of AIK Parishad, presided. Basti Vaman Shenoy, founder President of VK Cultural Foundation, welcomed the learned gathering. Gokuldas Prabhu executive President of AIK Parishad, introduced the guests of the day. R.S. Bhaskaran, Secretary AIK Parishad, and  Mavinkurve Venkatesh N. Baliga, Secretary of Konkani Language & Cultural Foundation, were present on the occasion. The seminar is jointly organised by the All India Konkani Parishad, Panaji, Goa, and Vishwa Konkani Kendra of Shaktinagar.

There is a discussion on Konkani literature on the afternoon today. Dr Harishchandra Nagvekar will preside over this session. 3 scholars, all ladies, will present their papers.
On Sunday, October 3, the morning session will cover linguistics of Konkani Dr. William D’Silva presides. Dr. Rocky Miranda, Dr. Madhavi Sardessai, and Gokuldas Prabhu will present their views.

In the afternoon, Ramesh Veluskar presides over a session of folklore in Konkani. Dr Jayanthi Naik, (from Goa) Dr. Panduranga Phaldesai, (Kala Academy), and Gopala Gowda (Konkani Institute), will present papers on aspects of folklore.
Konkani lovers are thronging the newly built World Konkani Centre, opposite Sri. Gopalkrishna Temple in Shaktinagar.