Panaji: The eminent Konkani writer Damodar Mauzo gets Jnanpith Award, the country’s highest literary honour from Goa state governor P S Sreedharan Pillai. The Governor described him as the ‘Indian Charles Dickens’ as he mostly shared the story of orphans in his literary works. The function was held at Raj Bhavan under the auspices of the art and culture department of the Goan government.
The Governor spoke to the crowd after presenting the award and said Mouzo is the ‘epitome of the Konkani literature’. “ Konkani is qualitatively rich in its literature though it is spoken by a few lakh people. I feel proud and happy to bestow this great award on the great Goan writer Damodarji”, the Governor said.
Mouzo’s 25 books have been published in Konkani and one in English. Many of his books have also been translated into different languages. Mouzo’s famous novel ‘Karmelin’ received the Sahitya Academy Award in 1983. Mauzo is the second Goan to receive the Jnanpith Award. Earlier, Ravindra Kelekar from the coastal state got the award in 2008.
Eminent personalities from the field of art, literature, and politics including renowned poet Gulzar, Justice Virendra Jain, State Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude, writers Prathibha Rai, K L Jain, Akhilesh Jain were present at the Raj Bhavan during the event.
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