Fr. Apolinario Cardozo, sj
Executive Director
Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr
B.B.Borkar Road
Alto Porvorim, Goa
New Managing Committee of TSKK
On 16th July 2011 the general Body meeting of Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr (TSKK) was held at TSKK premises at Alto Porvorim to vitalize the works of TSKK with greater efficiency and professionalism. In this background, Fr. Apolinario Cardozo, SJ, the ex-headmaster of St. Britto High School, Mapuça has been appointed as the new Executive Director/Secretary of TSKK. As a headmaster he has good experience of administration and he will take care of the entire administration of TSKK. He will be assisted by Fr. Efraim Gracias, SJ. Dr. Chandralekha D’Souza, the ex-head of Konknni Department of Goa University will be the Director of Academic and Research of TSKK. She will plan and coordinate the entire academic and research work of TSKK in collaboration with Dr. Pratapananda Naik, SJ, Joint Director of Academic and Research. The other members of the TSKK Managing committee are Dr. Anthony da Silva, SJ the Provincial Superior of Goa Province Jesuits; Fr. Vasco do Rego, SJ (the Editor of Konknni monthly Dor Mhoineachi Rotti); Dr. Savio Abreu, SJ (the Executive Director of Xavier Centre of Historical Research); Fr. Colman de Souza, SJ (the treasurer of Goa Jesuit Province).
TSKK has served Konknni in Roman, Devanagari and Kannada scripts for the past 25 years in various fields related to Konknni and given the leadership. To name a few it TSKK initiated the process to start a department of Konknni at the Goa University when Dr. Sheikh Ali was the Vice-Chancellor. TSKK requested and helped Nirmala Institute of Education to introduce Konknni as a special subject for the B.Ed. Course. When TSKK realized that the vast numbers of minority community members were greatly displeased for not giving any official place in Official language act 1987 of Goa, TSKK took the initiative to propose to establish Dalgado Konknni Akdemi to preserve and promote Konknni in Roman script and prepared the master plan for its activities and drafted the constitution. In 1991 when the Diocesan Board and Archdiocesan Board decided to run Konknni medium primary schools, TSKK prepared audio visual teaching material for KG and trained primary teachers from 1991 to 2010. TSKK has standardized Konknni orthography in Devanagari, Kannada and Roman scripts. TSKK has published Konknni language course books and it regularly conducts Konknni language courses irrespective of its scripts. TSKK has developed a mini botanical garden of local fruits and flowers. Pratapananda Naik who has been labeled as “A priest with green fingers” is responsible for this garden and continues to maintain it. Over the years TSKK has built up an excellent library of Konknni, in fact it is the best library for Konknni research works. Since the future of Konknni is in Roman script, TSKK has taken initiative to prepare Konknni textbooks in Roman scripts. TSKK has joined hands with Mandd Sobhann, Mangalore to officially establish Jagotik Konknni Songhton (Global Konknni Association) on 20 August 2011 to work for Konknni with the principle “Unity in diversity”. TSKK is recognized by Goa University as a postgraduate Konknni research centre.
The new managing committee has plans to continue, develop and extend the works of TSKK in order to serve the Konknni language and people. It needs the support of Konknni lovers.
