The Annual Literary Award Presentation Ceremony of Raknno, the esteemed Konkani-English bilingual weekly from Mangaluru, was held on September 14, 2025, at St. Joseph’s Church Hall, Bajpe in conjunction with the Konkani Writers and Readers Meet. The event was a celebration of literary brilliance, cultural heritage, and community spirit.
The program was presided over by Rev. Dr. Peter Paul Saldanha, Bishop of the Mangalore Diocese, and attended by dignitaries including:
- Rev. Fr. Andrew D’Souza – Parish Priest
- Rev. Fr. Rupesh Madtha – Editor, Raknno
- Mr. Stany D’Souza – Vice President, Parish Pastoral Council
- Mr. Prasanna D’Souza – Event Coordinator & Editor, Amchem Sheth, Bajpe Parish Magazine
The ceremony commenced with a prayer hymn led by Bajpe parishioners, followed by a warm welcome from Fr. Rupesh Madtha. The spotlight of the event was the felicitation of:
- Mr. Richard Alvares, Kulshekar – Raknno Best Author of the Year 2025
- ‘Izoicho Kollo’, parish magazine of St. Francis Xavier Church, Bejai – Raknno Best Parish Magazine 2025
Dr. Edward Nazareth introduced the awardees, and the Bishop conferred the honors. Both Mr. Richard Alvares and Mr. Godwin Pinto, Editor of Izoicho Kollo, shared reflections and expressed heartfelt gratitude.
The event also featured the release of two significant publications:
- Bhorvoshachye Vater – the 134th book from Raknno Publications
- St Carlo Acutis – published by Mangalajyothi
Following the stage program, two insightful presentations were delivered by Fr. Francis D’Souza and Muddu Theerthahalli on the history of Konkani literature and the reading habits in the digital age
A lively discussion on Konkani literature, moderated by Fr. Rupesh Madtha, engaged writers and readers alike. Over 200 prominent writers including Dolphy Cascia, Richard Moras, Fr. A D’Lima, and Stany Bela were in attendance.
The event concluded a vote of thanks by Francis D’Cunha Mulki, and a fellowship lunch. Lavi Ganjimatt compered the program, and Pramod Hospet managed logistics.
The programme was organized by the Raknno Weekly with the help of Bajpe parish community, also the winners for Raknno Best Parish Magazine 2024
Since its founding in 1938, Raknno has remained a pillar of Konkani language and culture. These annual awards, instituted in 2024, continue to recognize and uplift literary contributions across the region—reaffirming Raknno’s enduring legacy of over eight decades.
