ERIC OZARIO, MAND SOBHAN AND KUWAIT KONKNNI KENDR.
It was about 15 years back approximately. I did not know that there was a man by name Eric Ozario working from Mangalore for the cause of Konkani language – Konkani culture, Konkani tradition and Konkani history. One Mangalorean Mr. Sirur who was a good friend of Eric Ozario was known to me. Since KKK and I were deeply involved in the spread of Konkani gospel in Kuwait, Sirur approached me soliciting our support for Eric Ozario’s campaign in Kuwait during a few days of his stay in Kuwait. Since we in KKK were over eager to help Konkani and its cause, I gave massive coverage for Eric Ozario’s Konkani campaign in Kuwait. Eric was conducting ‘BOSNI’ which means he, his wife and son along with 2 musicians sitting on the floor and Eric was conducting Discourse in favour of Konkani and along with his lovely looking wife singing Konkani traditional songs. It was very beautiful. Due to my heavy Press coverage in the local English media Eric Ozario’s campaign thru ‘BOSNI’ became instant success.
Then along with his wife, Eric Ozario came to my place explaining me the importance of his campaign in Kuwait and other places in the World. Then I called a meeting of KKK members and there we decided to have one BOSNI organised under KKK and this BOSNI was held at Abbasiya at the spacious residence of Royal Agnelo where even Dinner was served to the attendees about 75, most of them were Goans. Then we immediately donated Indian Rupees 10,000/- as our donation for his Mand Sobhan. Eric Ozario was very happy for our financial help and for holding of BOSNI thru which he was exposed to the Goan community which he wanted very much. By our support and especially of me Eric Ozario and his campaign got wider exposure, as admitted by Eric Ozario himself.
While talking to me and other KKK members especially Elvino Rodrigues, Mario Rebello, Luis Cardoso and others Eric Ozario showed his total appreciation for KKK and its activities. He made a remark saying ‘nowhere in the World outside India such an organisation catering to the needs of Konkani is existing as Kuwait Konknni Kendr’. He even congratulated personally all the KKK members for doing great work for the cause of Konkani.
As a matter of interest, there is not a single Konkani organisation working only for the cause of Konkani is existing anywhere in the world for such a long period. KKK has helped so many Konkani causes in Konkani world and still doing. Not only this, KKK in the past during the language agitation in mid eighties deputed its members to participate in the agitation such as public meetings and public rallies at Panaji, Goa and one of KKK’s members even took part in the Hunger Strike at Azad Maidan, Panaji, in support of Konkani.
Whatever KKK does and did for the cause of Konkani Eric Ozario knows very well and whatever activities Eric Ozario and his Mand Sobhan do, KKK knows in Kuwait. We feel proud of Eric Ozario’s work in the Konkani domain, so also we feel proud that Mand Soban in Mangalore is doing very good work in the service of Konkani.
Eric Ozario and Mand Sobhan, we in Kuwait at KKK still remember you and your work in the service of Konkani..
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
