'Vishwa Konkani Sardar' Basti Vaman Shenoy passes away

MANGALURU: Basti Vaman Shenoy, the founder and co-chairman emeritus of Konkani Bhas Ani Sanskriti Prathistan, World Konkani Centre in the city passed away on Sunday due to an age-related illness.
He was 86 and is survived by two sons, a daughter and grandchildren.
The mortal remains will be kept for public homage at World Konkani Centre, Shakti Nagar from 9am to 10am on Monday.
Cremation will be held at Bantwal thereafter.
He left behind a large family of followers, well-wishers and thousands of scholars who have been beneficiaries of the Vishwa Konkani Student Scholarship Programme.
Born on November 6, 1934 at Bantwal, he was known as the Vishwa Konkani Sardar (World Konkani Leader).
Though he wanted to pursue higher education and become a teacher, after completing his matriculation in 1952 from the SVS High School, he joined his father's business due to the financial difficulties his family faced.
For a brief period, he also worked in Canara Bank. After his father’s death in 1957, the responsibility of the whole family fell on his shoulders.
Shenoy is revered as the doyen of Konkani Language movement.
He founded the World Konkani Centre in 2009 at Shakti Nagar under the auspices of Konkani Bhas Ani Sanskriti Prathistan.
He served as the president of Prathistan from its inception in 1996 till 2021 and was serving as the co-chairman emeritus thereafter.
During his remarkable tenure, he was instrumental in bringing together the Konkani people spread across various castes, religions and regions in the service of the mother tongue.
Under his leadership, the World Konkani Centre spearheaded several programmes for the preservation of Konkani language, culture and welfare of Konkani speaking communities.
After his retirement from Syndicate Bank in 1992, as the president of Konkani Basha Mandal Karnataka he organised the World Konkani Convention in 1995 for bringing together all factions of Konkani speaking communities across the globe.
He was conferred with the title of 'Vishwa Konkani Sardar' for this remarkable feat.
He strived for the recognition of Konkani language and inclusion in 8th schedule of the Constitution of India. Thanks to his efforts because of which we see the Konkani language in every currency note that is in circulation in India.
The Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy was formed by the government of Karnataka on the demands of the Konkani people which was ably conveyed to the government under the leadership of Shenoy.
He also served as the president of the academy from 1997 to 2001.
He was conferred with Karnataka Rajyothsava Award in 2010 and several other accolades for his relentless work for the Konkani language and culture.
The Konkani Bhas Ani Sanskriti Prathistan has instituted Shri Basti Vaman Shenoy Vishwa Konkani Seva Puraskar for the outstanding public service by Konkani people.
His membership to the Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Karnataka dates back to 1980, but it was in 1992 after his retirement from his Banking career he devoted completely to Konkani activities.
Paul Moras, the then President of the Mandal entrusted him the post of organising secretary of the Konkani Jatha - a movement for organising people to demand establishment of Konkani Academy. He along with others toured extensively to organise 'Jathas' in several cities of Karnataka submitting a memorandum demanding Konkani Academy for the state with the Karnataka government in October 1992.
In 1993, he became the president of Konkani Bhasha Mandal Karnataka. He was instrumental in initiating teaching of Konkani language in Canara High School here. He rigorously lobbied the Karnataka government for the establishment of Konkani Academy. Because of his efforts in 1994-95 the then chief minister Veerappa Moily announced the establishment of Konkani Academy in the state. Thus, Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy came into existence.
Shenoy was also involved in Indian National Congress and its trade union wing INTUC activities in Bantwal between 1954 and 1962 and during this period he was influenced by T A Pai. Shenoy was instrumental in founding Saraswathi Kala Prasarak Sangh and Saraswathi Sangeeth Shala Bantwal in 1958.
In 1962, he joined Syndicate Bank, Panemangalore branch as clerk. Within 20 months, he was promoted as officer and in 1968 he became the manager of the newly started Raibhag branch in Belagavi District.
In 1995 from December 16 to 22, under the auspices of Konkani Bhasha Mandal Karnataka, as chief convener, Shenoy organised the First World Konkani Convention here that was attended by 5,000 delegates from all over the world. It is here that Shenoy presented before the Konkani people his dream to establish a permanent entity for the preservation and promotion of Konkani language, art and culture. The convention unanimously gave a mandate to establish the World Konkani Centre here. In 1996, Shenoy inaugurated the First North American Konkani Convention at New Jersey, USA. He toured North American cities promoting the cause of Konkani during his visit.
In 1997, Shenoy became the president of Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy. He served two terms as president of the Academy till 2001. During his tenure as president of the academy he initiated a process of lobbying with the government of Karnataka to introduce Konkani in the schools of Karnataka as the optional third language. Under his tenure, the academy produced "Konkani Samanthar Shabdakosh", a series of books on stalwarts of Konkani community "Konkani Mahamanest Pustakmala" and a volume on showcasing the rich Konkani art form of Kavi Murals "Konkanyali Kavikala’’.
In 1998, the academy organised a 3-day "Konkani Kala Utsav" in New Delhi. Shenoy led the 130-member cultural team to showcase Konkani culture at the capital city. He was instrumental in organising a workshop for developing teaching material in Konkani language in collaboration with the Central Institute of Indian Languages in 2001. In 2002, as the organising committee chairman, Shenoy had successfully organised the 20th Adhiveshan of All India Konkani Parishad in Mangalore.
In 2004, he became the president of All India Konkani Parishad and took charge at the 26th Adhiveshan held at Kozhikode.